Cutting Ties
by TheHighQueen
Summary: How thin is the line between love and hate? Nea doesn't know but he does know one thing; he had a mission, and he'd stop at nothing to get it. An attempt to explain Nea's betrayal, as well as the circumstances behind it.
1. You(Mana)and Me(Nea)

_Cutting Ties: How thin is the line from love and hate? Neah doesn't know, but he does know one thing; he had a mission and he he would stop at nothing to get it._

 _ **My goal for this is to somewhat explain Neah's transition from utter devotion to Mana, to feeling only murderous intent for him. Yeah...this is going to be a depressing one isn't it?**_

 _ **Also, this story will be confusing! I'll be using theories about Nea and Mana's past and their relationship. Road will also play a big part in this, as she is the only person to survive. And..I think that's about it for the warning.**_

 _Prologue: Mana(You) and Nea(Me)_

My dear Earl, do you remember?

The burning sunset, and the sound of wind? The day the Millenium Earl who endured seven thousand years, and our mother Katerina met?

Katerina, our beautiful gentle mother, gave her sons the names Nea and Mana. Like two peas in a pod, we were raised as identical twin brothers. You, Mana, and I, Nea. Raised to believe the Earl himself was our father, and that he fell in love with Katerina.

We were raised to believe that the Earl died, and casted his power to you, my dear brother.

But, that's not true is it?

For the Millennium Earl is not our father, and Katerina was not our mother. That day, when Katerina met the Earl, was a lie.

Mana D. Campbell, you.

Nea D. Campbell, me.

Two identical halves, who made up one whole. We, are the Millennium Earl. You already knew that, my dear brother. As we grew, our memories of being two halves disappeared. We grew to truly believe that we were brothers. Soon, you took the position as the Earl, and I was your beloved brother.

The Noahs awakened and gathered around us, and we formed the Noah family.

I wonder why...?

I wonder why nobody wondered why there were fourteen, and not thirteen like the legend said?

It was because the Fourteenth was never supposed to exist, the musician never was apart of the factor. I, however, by some leap of faith came into existence, and formed the fourteenth of the Noah Family.

They only believed that as twins, our powers split. Half given to Nea, and half given to Mana. It was the belief, but when my memories regained I knew better.

Two halves of the same whole.

Over the course of seven thousand years, the Earl only disappeared once.

On that day what remained was two babies, that Katerina found and named out of boredom. That, is who we are.

The two of us was once one.

Together, we are the Millennium Earl.

And, my dearest brother, for that reason, I will end your life.


	2. The Noah Family

**And I am back! First, I want to thank everybody w** **ho followed, favorited, and reviewed. You guys make my day. This chapter...I don't like it but I wrote it weeks ago and i'm too lazy to change it.**

 **Edited somewhat 6/7/16**

* * *

CT Chapter 2:

 _Nea and Mana haven't came back for a while._

Katerina sighed as she folded one of their shirts. She knew that they were getting older, that they were almost eighteen now, but that didn't stop her from worrying. This was the longest time that they'd been gone. Sometimes they'd leave for a day or two, going to visit another town, but this time it was nearly two weeks.

She looked down; her hands were trembling. Why was she so anxious? It wasn't as if they were helpless, they were strong athletic boys. Despite being somewhat wirey and lean, they weren't easily taken down. They were probably fine-so why did she worry for them so much?

To keep her hands occupied she quickly folded another article of clothing. After a moment, her hands balled into fists, wrinkling the shirt she delicately folded. If she was being completely honest with herself-she knew what happened. She really did, and it hurt to know.

It just seemed to be too strange. They didn't even give her a decent excuse for leaving, just saying they'd be back at some point and disappearing through the door.

The air around them was darker...it was almost painfully obvious. Katerina just didn't want to believe it, so she'd play tender, clueless mother and pretend that her boys were normal, for the sake of normalcy.

All she could do was sit and pray, hoping that although God probably hated her, he'd take mercy on her children. Even though they were his enemies...they are...at least they used to be human.

Katerina heard a noise, just outside her door, and fumbled to wipe her tears before somebody saw. It wouldn't do for somebody to see her crying, people always assumed things they shouldn't. If it was her sons, they'd worry so much that she wouldn't be able to take it. For a moment it was silent, and Katerina relaxed.

Perhaps she was just hearing things, and maybe somebody wasn't at the door. _I'm beginning to lose myself_.

Her door opened, "Mother, we're home!" She nearly jumped up, whipping around to see Nea and Mana standing in the doorway. They were smiling brightly, excited about something. Mana held a new umbrella in his hand-a strange umbrella. It was pink with a pumpkin head on the top. Katerina recognized it, immediately, because it was _his._

"Boys, where on Earth were you two so long?" She asked, setting down her folded dress to walk to them. Katerina half expected them to outright tell her, because there had never been any secrets between their small family, but they gave her almost strained smiles.

"Working mother!" Mana eventually answered cheerfully, "We've found jobs-ah, but we'll have to live there."

Katerina blinked, "Living away?" So, they had already bought a house for their new family...? She fought the urge to frown, because she knew that she'd have to accept it sometime. It just hurt, for it to happen.

"Yes, it's required. They want a close relationship, to almost be like family. Our co-workers have already moved in."

"Really?" She put on her best interested face, "How many co-workers are there?" She knew their wasn't all of them, it'd be too soon.

"Soon, they'll be fourteen in total, but for now we only have five including ourselves. We'll get more soon enough." Mana brushed her off, but the wicked gleam in his eyes only confirmed Katerina's fears. She almost wanted to cry. She gave each of their cheeks a soft kiss to almost say goodbye.

Mana grabbed her hands, "We'll visit-often!" It was a clear lie, and Katerina knew that. If Mana was who she thought she was, he hated what she was. He hated the fact that he was birthed from a human, even though he was human as well. A different type of human, but a human all the same.

But she didn't say anything.

She wouldn't say anything.

After all, she was never really their mother...she was only their caretaker. She really only did this for him. It was her own fault, she was only supposed to help him live, she wasn't supposed to love them so dearly. She wasn't their mother, they were just two babies she found and named.

So why did her heart hurt so much?

"Alright, just don't forget about your poor mother!" She smiled tenderly at them, and giggled when they enveloped her in a bone crushing hug. Yes, she'd act dumb, if that meant that she'd get to be with them a few more times.

Her sweet children; the Twins of Millennium.

"We have to leave now, Mother." Nea told her, "But we'll come back soon-promise!"

They left, without another word. Katerina stood alone in their family room, staring at the shut door with what looked to be the traces of a bitter smile on her lips.

She loved them so much.

So much that it hurt to let them go, and she couldn't help them this time. All she could do was pray, and hope that she could honor that promise she made so long ago, to him.

And if what happened that she thought was going to happen...between Nea and Mana...

Katerina, once she was sure that they wouldn't walk it, crumbled to the floor. Tears dripped down her face; from worry or sorrow she didn't know. She just wanted to protect them from the inevitable.

 _Be safe._

~Insert Linebreak~

"When are Millennie and Nea going to get back?" Road asked, hanging from upside down from one of the couches. A doll was clasped in her hands- a welcome gift from the Nea. In addition to her fully furnished room, he had given her an abundance of clothes and toys. Even though she had only meet the Earl a few weeks ago, her Dream memories were strong and she already loved both the Earl and Nea dearly.

Her new family-no, her _true_ family, was all around in the common room. Their was only five of them in total, but they were getting there. So far they had the Noahs of Pleasure, Dream(herself), and Wisdom, not to mention The Earl of Millennium and his brother, the Noah of Destruction.

"Soon," Wisely commented, using one hand to pull her up off the couch, "And stop that, before you fall." Road sat up, opting to lay her head on Wisely's lap.

"They're visiting their mother," Joido commented idly from the other couch, flipping through a book, "Be patient."

Road groaned in boredom, wanting them to return already. She missed them, they were gone nearly the whole day because they didn't want her to use her door to take them. So, they had to take the train.

"What do you think our first order of business is going to be?" Road asked curiously, looking up her her new 'brother.' Wisely seemed to know everything, his Noah giving him the ability.

He smirked at her, "Finding the heart of innocence, with that, the Exorcists can't win this Holy War." Road giggled loudly, holding her doll above her head. Road turned over, her expression playful. Being the youngest sometimes was so much fun! She was the youngest at the age of twelve, Wisely followed with fifteen.

Joido hit them both over the head, "Relax a bit will ya? We won't be looking for anything until all of us awaken, we have nine to go. Enjoy the peace while it lasts."

"Yes, Joido." They chorused, smirking a bit at each other. Joido rolled his eyes, he hated being the 'uncle,' for the siblings never seemed to stop. He wondered when Nea and Mana would get-

"We're home!"

-nevermind.

Road jumped up, launching herself into the first body she could see, "Nea! Millennie! Welcome back!" She greeted cheerfully. Nea, who caught her, let her sit on his shoulder. It was a bit awkward since he was lean, but Road was small and not that heavy so he dealt with it.

Out of everybody, Road was his dear favorite. She was a bit...psychotic, but she always meant well. Not to mention that she was the first to awaken.

"Yes, Road. Are you enjoying your new toys?" Mana asked, seeing multiple scattered around. Road jumped down from Nea's shoulder, skipping to her toys on the ground and laying on her stomach. she picked up a mutated looking bear and her doll and smiled.

"I love them!"

Nea's eyes caught her bear and he recoiled, stepping back a bit.

Nea blinked, "Road...? What did you do to that poor bear?"

"I made him better," Road answered easily, "Don't you think?"

Both Nea and Mana grinned uneasily because no, she did not make the bear better. It looked like she abused it and tortured it into insanity.

Maybe they shouldn't buy her anymore toys...

Wisely looked up, "Her room looks like a demented torture chamber. There's weird looking sharp candles floating in midair." He gestured around. "And I'm pretty sure there's a portal to the underworld-"

"Not the underworld, Wisely, my Dream World," Road paused, "I can see how you got it mixed up though."

Nea sighed, "I put so much work into that room as well." He brooded, "Mana pestered me to make it look nice." He painted it pink, and lined it with frills and ribbons. He was so sure Road would adore it. Not to mention he gave her the third biggest room available-despite the fact that it would normally go to Joido!

"You wanted to design it." Mana pointed out and the group laughed.

Road pouted childishly; she did love her room! She only made minor changes to the scenery.

"I love my room! I can't wait to add dolls."

"You have tons of dolls," Wisely pointed out, then his eyes widened in realization "Road you..."

"Hmmhm! Life sized dolls, I'll make them myself." It didn't take a genius to figure out she was planning to make real people her dolls. all she would need to do is break them enough to make them lifeless, just like a doll. It was within her scope of powers.

Nea looked at her strangely, "You're a demented little girl, aren't you?"

"The word demented is being used a lot today to describe Road," Joido pointed out.

Road giggled.

Honestly, what better family was there? Soon, they'd have all fourteen members, and start their plans.

They couldn't wait.


	3. Innocence

_Hey guys! So I'm back, with another chapter. We still aren't fully into the plot so if guys could just hang tight! We're slowly, but surely getting there. We should be getting into the plot-well, what we're really waiting for soon. Well, for now I'm going to firmly establish their relationships with each other if it kills me._

 _I got a PM: it asked me why I refer to Road so often. Well, if you all remember there was only one survivor in Nea's rampage, and that was Road. Mana doesn't count because Hoshino won't tell us what the hell is up with that._

 _Also, in one of the further chapters, expect 3 VERY familiar characters. Can you guys guess who they are? Okay, now that I'm now down rambling, onto chapter 3: Innocence_

* * *

 _Never forgive...never forgive…_

 _They couldn't forget what it did to them, no matter what. They couldn't…_

" _ **Innocence…"**_ _He grinned,_ _ **"I'll never forgive it."**_

* * *

 _I'm starting to regret this,_ Nea thought as he looked down at the skipping girl clutching his hand _._ He was stuck babysitting Road for today, and since she looked bored he decided to take her out. It was possibly the worst idea he ever had. Road wasn't too bad, she behaved when they went out. The Earl demanded that they all be on their best behavior out of the house, because they were quickly becoming notable people in the world.

That was a strange occurrence as well: they were never rich nor poor. They were just there, and that field of gold was just their home. To be suddenly put on a pedestal was so strange, but Road ate up the attention and Mana loved to see her dressed up like a doll, and Road was like 'Daddy's little devil.' If, what they were could even be called devils.

Road was always eager to please the Earl. She followed his orders well, and so Road wasn't exactly the problem. Even if it was...Nea doted on her to much to even see it. He would never really say that Road was the problem. It was something else...he felt it before-he remembered the feeling but the reason….he couldn't remember the reason…

" _I-Innocence_ _ **"**_

It worried him, because Road was with him. If something were to happen...what would Road do? Road could take care of herself, but this feeling...if it was what he thought it was….Road may not be able to control herself. She was a new Noah, and was new to all the emotions and urges. Despite being the first to awaken, she was still so young...

If it was what he thought it was...that damned substance sent down...what would they do? Their plans weren't to start until all members awakened, and with only six members they weren't very close. Would Mana let it go? Or would he order he and Road to just get started?

Nea attempted to hid his grin by covering his face with his palm, feigning irritation at Road. The almost inhuman look on his face would have made Katerina a Noah, he couldn't forget his hatred of innocence. It burned inside of him like a storm, raging on until he was fit to burst. At the mere thought of it, countless ways to destroy it came as well.

But no, he couldn't let himself get swallowed up by his Noah. He owed it to Road and Mana both to stay in control, lest he destroy the scenario.

"Road, let's head back. Don't you want to be there when Mana and our new family member gets home?" Road didn't respond,"...Road?" He looked towards the little girl, worried.

She suddenly looked up, something different about the look in her eyes, something dark, but she covered it up quickly,"Sorry Nea! I was distracted, yeah let's head back." She released his hand and began to turn around only to smack right into somebody.

She fell back with a yelp, but Nea caught her quickly. The man, Nea noted, didn't seem to move at all. He only looked in startled shock and then promptly bowed low to them in apology, bursting into a million different ones.

He quickly explained that he was in a hurry, and was chasing something but Nea quickly tuned him out in favor of squishing down the sudden desire to kill the man. They all had a hatred of humans, so much so that it hurt, but _this_ man, that man in particular.

What about him made him want to kill him so badly?

He quickly glanced down at Road, who he was sure was feeling the blood lust as well. Her eyes were wide, and her fists were clenched tightly. Her lips were stretched in a sweet smile, accepting the man's apology and telling him not to worry about it. But her hand squeezed his tightly. That look earlier on...could Road have sensed it then?

Nea had to admit, although Road was clearly bothered by _that substance,_ she feigned nonchalance well. It showed in her body language, but then again maybe it was because Nea knew her so well. He was her family, after all. He was sure Mana would notice it too, but this man was easily fooled by her sweet demeanor. Road has that undeniable skill, to play sweet little angel.

"No worries," She lightly brushed him off and as she spoke Nea's eyes drifted down to his waist. A bow and arrow were hooked into his waist. Quietly, almost inaudible he muttered:

"Innocence…" And Road heard and almost immediately began tugging Nea away, quickly saying goodbye to the man they now knew was an exorcist. If the black and silver clothes were enough the innocence spoke volumes. He wanted to reach out, and feel it within his grasp. He wanted to shatter it. He walked quickly alongside Road, reeling in his 'dark' side.

Road let out a breath,"That was innocence." She breathed, "I never felt that way before…"

She grinned, darkly, "I **hate** it."

Nea hadn't either, but he had faint memories. Memories of the pain innocence caused him, the pain that it caused his beloved family. It's desperate fight to defeat his brother, whom he loved dearly. He lifted Road up so that he could hold her on his hip. Road laid her head on his shoulder, affectionately burying her face in his coat because for a demonic little girl, she was actually pretty sweet.

"Innocence," Nea echoed, "I wondered if we should tell Mana," He wondered aloud. Mana...wouldn't take it well. Road contemplated it for a moment before nodding.

"Probably, he'd get angry if we don't and he finds out. I don't know about you," She shuddered,"but I don't want to deal with Millennie's tantrum.

* * *

Music played throughout the room, and Nea was of course the culprit. He sat in the middle of his piano room, playing that familiar song that only he and Mana knew. Mana sat on the top of the piano, quietly looking down at his hands.

Outside, they could still hear the rest of their family, happily welcoming Lucy, otherwise known as Lust. They weren't joining in on festivities, because Mana was clearly worried, and it was always Nea's job to calm him down.

That song always calmed Mana down, and maybe it was because it was their lullaby. Katerina sang it to them when they were young children. Nea and Mana used to joke, when they were kids, that it was connected to them interally. That was because even when they were young children, they could sing the song. By the time Nea was twelve, he had made the score.

Nea waited for his brother to speak, because when he and Road told him about that exorcist he was _not_ happy. Actually, his expression scared Road so Nea had to drag him into his piano room.

Finally, after Nea had ran through their song a few times, Mana spoke;

"...Innocence eh?"

His voice was quiet, and Nea flinched because that meant Mana was _seething._ He was seething because quite potentially, his carefully calculated plans were going up in flames. All thanks to those damned exorcists...and that horrible substance from that false god.

It never really occurred to Nea that while Mana was his twin brother, he was also the Millennium Earl. His hatred of innocence must be two times as great, for he was not like them. He was no ordinary Noah, he was different from them, from him.

In a half hearted attempted to calm Mana down, he shifted the topic.

"Road, she handled herself well, I expected her to lose control and kill the man." Nea commented. He knew Mana was trying to figure out what to do with the situation. There was a chance that the Noah's existence would be found out and then their plans would be destroyed. They couldn't be found out, not yet.

All that hard work would be put to waste. They were, after all, in a delicate position. With Wisely and Road being so young and the rest of the Noah's having not even awakened. They exorcists could sweep across the world, searching for the smallest sign of an awakening and killing them before they even had a chance. And even though they would just reawaken, it could take years before that happened.

Then again, there were 109 fragments of innocence and the world….and exorcists were popping up like no other. To destroy some of the shattered pieces meant to keep an exorcist from coming into being, and that was their ultimate goal. To destroy the exorcists until they find it. It would be like a head start...and it wasn't exactly like the exorcist were any actual match for them. They could just do that until they found _it_.

Until...until they could find the _heart_ …

Nea's playing faltered slightly when Mana gave no reply. He played their song to soothe Mana's stress, because he got high strung at some points. Bumping into exorcists could easily become the top of his problems. The silence only meant that Mana was at a loss, and Nea finally sighed. He pushed himself up, walking over to his brother and throwing his arms around Mana's shoulders loosely. He withdrew after a moment, gently holding Mana's face.

"Don't push yourself too hard," He sighed, "I'll be by your side no matter what happens." It was his promise, from the day that felt like years ago. And that finally got Mana to look at him. He smiled finally relaxing a bit, and nodded. His smile brightened after a moment.

"You, Joido, and Road are going to find the innocence the exorcists are looking for, and should you come in contact with the exorcists. Please put an end to them." He said it so offhandedly, Nea almost didn't recognize it as Mana's words. Sweet, kind Mana, was the Millennium Earl. He was the destroyer of all things good, and that didn't sound quite like Mana.

It sounded more like something Nea would say instead.

It was strange, because something felt off with that statement. Almost like Mana being the Earl was wrong...but that wasn't right. It couldn't be right, and so Nea wouldn't believe it.

Nea shook it off and nodded at his twin brother, smirking in his direction. Whatever Mana wanted, he would give him. Because, that was what he promised, didn't he? To stay by his side forever, that night seemed like years ago. It seemed like it happened a century ago even though they were still eighteen, and it had only been nine months since they awakened.

"Of course," He grinned,"My beloved Earl."


	4. Hatred

Chapter 4 Hatred:

* * *

Road walked, aimlessly,bored. The man she was looking for was nowhere in sight, and she was getting frustrated. It seemed like all the hard jobs were given to her, and that wasn't fair. Wasn't she the youngest in the first place? She should get the easiest jobs...

She pouted, twirling the umbrella in her hands; how unfair. At least got to steal Lero for today, because Mana thought it was the only way to keep her from whining. He promised to come take him away if Road threw a tantrum.

"Stupid Joido...stupid Nea...ugh, I hate my uncles," She said. There was a familiar voice from behind her, a laugh. The voice couldn't be placed though so Road couldn't tell who it was but...

"Now now, you shouldn't say that about your family. They're your family!" Road turned around, and saw him. That man! The man who pushed her down those days ago, the exorcist. Her eyes gleamed at the sight, her boredom suddenly disappearing. She finally found him, and now she could start.

She closed the umbrella over her head, "You're right!" Road smiled and walked towards him, stopping just beside him.

The man's eyes widened briefly at her, "H-hey you're-"

"I'm Road!" She interrupted sweetly, a hand reaching out for his, "We've met before, you pushed me down!" She didn't seem to bothered by this, because she said it all with a smile. Instead, Road squeezed his hand.

They began walking, both without a destination. Road looked up, briefly, and saw that a figure was watching her from the top of a building. With a smirk, she waved; they were watching her.

"What's your name?" Road asked curiously, licking the lollipop in her hand. It was another thing Mana gave her to sate her.

"Jun." Jun smiled down. Jun? At first thought, Road almost thought he was Japanese. That was impossible, because they controlled Japan. He must be Chinese then, she decided and smiled.

Road tugged at his exorcist coat, "What's with the strange coat? People around here don't dress like this." She knew the answer, but she just wanted him to say it.

"I'm...ah...an exorcist from the Black Order. It's an organization made by the church." In that time, the Order's existence wasn't so secret. Anybody who wanted to be a finder knew of it.

Road's eyes widened, "Really? How cool! So, what do exorcists do?" She asked.

"Well...I can't tell you that. However...can I ask you a question?"

Road smiled, "Of course!"

"Have you heard of this rumor...it's sort of important for my line of work."

He told her of the innocence he was searching for, and unknowingly sealed their fate. Road grinned. _finally._

~insertlinebreak~

"You did well, niece." Nea congratulated, setting Road on top of his lap. She smiled, in the process of painting her nails black. Although Nea hated the smell of the stuff, Road had done her job so he dealt with it. Road had done well to gain information, and unbeknownst the the exorcist, she had taken one of Joido's Tease to track him. Now, anywhere he went, she knew of.

Joido ruffled her hair, "Yes, I'm proud." He smiled. Road beamed in response, closing the cap of her nail polish and stretching across the arm chair that she and Nea were sitting on. She reached out, playing with one of the numerous Tease that were flying around the room. They were coming out of Joido's body by the dozens, tracking the sibling that had followed the exorcist.

"So, when are we going to put our plan into action?" She asked eagerly, as one of the butterflies landed on her finger.

Nea shrugged, "You can follow them, if you'd like. They're probably going for the innocence now." Road sat up, her eyes wide.

"Really?! I can?" She grinned excitedly.

"Sure, go for it."

"Alright!"

Her door opened, and she skipped through it. Before it closed, she turned back around, "I'll send my door for you, when I've found it."

Joido looked after the disappearing door, turning to Nea, "Is it a good idea to send Road by herself?" He asked hesitantly, wondering if Road would be able to handle the exorcists on her own. No, that wasn't his concern, he wondered if Road would get ahead of herself and screw up the 'scenario.'

"She's getting older now, she should be fine." Nea answered easily, "It's not like she'll let the exorcists live anyway and it's not like they can hurt her. Road is unlike most Noahs."

 _The Noah of Dreams, Road, is one of the biggest mysteries of the Noahs besides me, the fourteenth. She is the only Noah, who can move through dimensions and realities without the help of my ark._

 _She is also on the only person who can hide her true body, making her nearly impossible to defeat._

 _Now, when I actually think about it...Road...as she is now...is nearly invincible..._

~insertlinebreaks~

She found the innocence in a cave. The exorcists weren't there yet, she had found it first.

Road stopped before the innocence, giggling to herself at the green glow. Despite the darkness growing within her, and despite all the pain she felt just being near the substance, it felt warm. She reached out for it, cradling it in her palms, and briefly wondered if she should really call Nea and Joido to her.

"So...this is innocence..." She wondered aloud, "It's much different than I expected." She didn't shatter it herself, although all she wanted to do was close her fingers around it. Nea would want to bring it to the the Earl so that he could destroy it.

Road paused as she heard a noise in the distance, "Hmm...?"

 _"Anne...! I think we've found it~"_

Slowly, an inhuman grin worked it's way onto her features, "So...the exorcists are here huh...? Too bad, Jun wasn't a bad guy..." She liked him, Road could truly say that she did. too bad he would soon see her, and then she'd have to kill him.

"Anne, here it is...huh...Road?" There was Jun, in the opening of the cave. His eyes were wide, but they soon softened. It occurred to Road that she wasn't in her Noah's form. He must still think she's human.

She let her smile widen, "Jun! I've found the thing you were talking about!" She faked a sweet giggle, before letting it fade, "It's too bad...you won't leave with it..."

"Road, stop speaking nonsense! I know you want to show it to your friends but that's not the legend! It's innocence...I have to bring it back to my job you see..."

Road looked up, her eyes now a golden color instead of her blue. Her skin began to darken, her grin widening as Jun gasped in horror. She never fought an exorcist, but she was sure that their mind were just as weak as normal humans.

"I see, well Jun, I have a job to do as well. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Millennium Earl?"

"T-The Earl? How do you..."

He was confused, so confused. How could such a sweet looking girl look so evil now...?

Road giggled again, "I have a game for you, exorcist. If you manage to defeat me, I'll give the innocence to you!" She promised sweetly, turning to face the exorcist. She was now in her Noah's form, broadcasting her Dreams for him.

Jun agreed and the world fell apart.

~insertlinebreak~

The door finally opened for Joido and Nea, but when they walked through it, they only saw dead bodies littered around. Finders and two exorcists. Blood stained the walls, and in the middle of it all, they saw Road, completely unharmed. The male was at her feet, mangled and broken. The woman was in a similar state.

Road cradled the innocence in her palms, before smiling at her uncles, "I've got it~"

The exorcists never stood a chance, not against her.

~insert line break~

When the three returned, Mana was looking nervous, holding a paper. Nea was immediately suspicious. He handed him the innocence, but Mana shattered it all too quickly.

"N-Nea...you'd never be mad at me...right?"

"E-eh? What's with this weird question?" Nea reached for the paper, but Mana jumped away.

"You'd never hate me...?"

"Mana what on Earth?"

Mana reached out and handed the paper to Nea, nervously, and Nea scanned over it.

 _"To my dearest boys, Nea and Mana..please bring your co-workers to visit me~Katerina."_

...Bring...

...Their...

...Family...to Katerina?!

"Eh?!"

* * *

 **Silly ending, I know. But I think this chapter was kind of dark what with the killing, so I decided to give you guys a funny chapter. Soon, I won't be able to give you guys humor. In these first ten chapters, I have a lot of room to get humorous things in. Once Nea and Mana starts with the insaneness...it'll be different.**


	5. Katerina

**I said I wanted to be an all humorous chapter but...then I realized; wait..the way I planned it out I need to keep the plot moving to get to the first arc. So then I was all like; Oops. So I lied. No funny chapter. It's actually pretty monotone-but something does happen! You won't understand what yet but something does happen! I just dropped a little hint, but if you pick up where, I'll give you a cookie! A virtual cookie!**

 **Thank you for the reviews and favorites and follows I got this time around! They really make me happy! If you want, just add a few nice words in the review box. They are what keep me going.**

 **Also pay attention to the little exercepts at the top-they are actually important to the plot if you're able to piece them together eventually. However, they actually won't make sense for a while. So...actually...scratch that. Don't read them over until we get over the second arc, then they'll actually start making sense.**

 **Disclaimer: D. Gray Man is a work of art and you expect me to have made it? Ha! It belongs to Hoshino Katsura.**

* * *

 _"One day...I won't return..."_

 _"Don't be silly, of course you will!" She smiled, although she didn't feel happiness. She was worried, so worried, for him and for her as well. What will she do if he left?_

 _His hand reached out, grasping hers as if he was trying to comfort her, "I want to tell you something..." As if it was his last wish..._

 _She smiled, tenderly, "Alright!"_

* * *

 **To our dearest mother,**

 **We will be there as soon as we possibly can! In a week if possible. We miss you and love you very much. We are bringing our four co-workers! Attached is a picture of all of us!**

 **~Love,**

 **Nea and Mana.**

She looked at the letter in shock. She actually hadn't expected them to reply, not yet. She guessed that they thought that even now, with what they are, they were still her sons. They still owed her their love and cherishment, because she gave it to them for so long.

Even though they now were, what they were. Even if she didn't quite get _what_ they were.

After all if they were both...both him...then why were they still two?

Katerina held the letter tightly, in her hands, to the point where it almost ripped. Tears suddenly fell from her eyes, as emotions began to take over. It seemed that she cried so often nowadays, when she thought of them.

Sometimes, although she was so glad that she had a chance to meet him. Even though she was so grateful for a chance to have two wonderful twin sons, she wished she never met them at all.

Ha...sometimes the best things made you weep.

~insertlinebreak~

Katerina nervously sat in the kitchen, wringing her fingers. The smell of food was heavy in the air, she made a lot for her sons and their family. In their letter, they left her a picture. Four boys amongst two girls. The boys were bound to eat a lot, and her heart went out to whoever made their food.

She took comfort in the fact that they looked so close. At least she knew then, that they all loved each other. EVen though it still hurt, she loved to see them so happy. The youngest was Road, a little girl. The eldest was Joido, a young man that didn't seem too much older than Nea or Mana.

They were coming today, they were coming to see her. Her heart thumped widely in her chest and she looked towards the clock, "They'll be here soon," She forced a smile, "I hope I prepared the rooms well enough!"

Her smile widened, "If they aren't, I'll make Nea and Mana prepare the guest rooms better! This is, afterall still their home as well," She giggled at this and began walking towards the common room.

She counted down the seconds, until finally,there was a knock at her door. Before she could go to open it, though it opened. First she saw Nea's head, peering in, "Mother? Mo-ack! Mana!" He stumbled through as Mana pushed him.

Mana walked in next, holding Road's hand and carrying three suitcases. He looked around, just for a moment, before smiling at Katerina warmly.

"Mother! We're home!" He greeted.

Katerina looked, for a moment, taking in the family. They were an obtuse looking bunch, she'd give them that, but they look comfortable around each other.

"Welcome home, all of you." She curtsied politely, "I am Katerina D. Campbell. What a pleasure to meet you all."

"So pretty!" Road, who had latched onto Nea not long after stepping in the house, skipped towards her, "Almost like a doll!" Katerina smiled down at her, and let Road grasp onto her dress. Even though she knew all too well what Road was, she couldn't help but think about how cute she actually was.

The whole group, actually, were all very handsome and pretty. Lucy was a goregous girl, a girl about seventeen years old. Joido was very handsome, and Wisely would grow to be handsome.

"Thank you all for coming, I have food prepared in the dining room. Nea, ah, take the suitcases up to the guest rooms. Mana, show the guest where the dining room is. I'll help Nea."

"No, Mother. We're not eaxactly guests here, we'll do everything. How about you show Road, uh...Wesley...and uh...Clause, and Lucy where the dining hall is? We'll take everything upstairs." They smiled, looking so much like the boys she once knew, "We promise!"

Behind him, both Wisely and Joido looked confused by their new names.

 _Wesley?_

 _Clause?!_ Joido thought angrily.

Nea looked sheepish, "After all, we still haven't cleaned out our rooms."

"And we wouldn't want to burden you with making us a guest room."

"And Road has a tendency of sneaking into people's rooms while their asleep-by the way locking doors don't help that-"

"So it'll be best if we just arrange everything according to how well we know everybody!"

Katerina looked at them, silently. It was almost as if they were hiding something. She looked at the group again, and her eyes caught Wisely's. He was looking at her, strangely, it she finally noticed something strange about him.

At first she hadn't thought anything of it because of what they were.

But...

That white hair of his...she looked at him, again, more closely. Suddenly she felt something probing her mind, and her eyes widened.

 _He is-!_

Wisely recoiled suddenly, as if he had been burned. Katerina stared back at him, having just thrown him out of her mind. She knew what he was, and she was sure that he knew as well.

Wesley her foot.

He told her about that Noah- Wisely.

"Al-alright." Katerina gave a forced smile when they looked at her strangely. As Nea and Mana walked up the stairs with all he bags, Katerina walked to the dining room. She stayed at the front of the group,failing to miss when Road's hand released her dress.

Road slowly took a few steps back, until her hand caught Wisely's, "Okay...what's with the look on your face? Do you not like their mother?" She asked, worriedly. Nea and Mana obviously adored their mother very much.

"Road...there's something very important I need to tell you...something you can't tell anybody. Not even Nea or the Earl..." He looked urgent, as if he was telling a dangerous secret. Road's eyes widened, because secrets weren't common in their family.

They told each other everything. But Wisely, he looked so scared, for some reason. That expression on his face scared Road, and her grip on his fingers tightened slightly.

"Alright," She agreed. She loved Nea and Mana, but she also loved her brother as well.

"I mean it Road, if Nea asks you..."

Road flinched, because Wisely knew it would be hard for her to lie to Nea. Still though, she nodded. Slowly, Wisely whispered something inaudible into her ear. Road's eyes widened in shock, training on Katerina's back, before they relaxed.

"I see..." She whispered, picking up the pace. She tilted her head down, her dark bang covering her eyes, "...I won't tell..."

~insertlinebreak~

It was night. They had eaten a great dinner, Nea and Mana had cleared the table soon after. They insisted on doing all of the chores until they left, probably feeling bad that they left her to such a big house.

Nea had put Road to bed, although she whined to stay up. She ended up having to room with Wisely, so that he could make sure she would sleep. Joido went to bed of his own accord and so did Lucy.

Only Nea, Mana, and Katerina remained up. Nea sat at the piano, playing the song Katerina knew so well. Katerina sang along, because even though they all knew the words they agreed that Katerina sang it the best.

 _"And so the boy fell asleep..."_

She missed them; she missed them so much. Seeing them now, it made her feel better. She loved them so much. Although it hurt that they would leave soon, she was happy to see that they were doing so well.

"Today was nice, right Mother?" Mana asked, his arm around her shoulder.

 _"Like embers slowly dying...one...and then two..."_

Katerina smiled at him, kissing his cheek, but kept singing. This song, after all, meant a lot to her. The song meant so much to her, because it was the last thing she had. The song, also meant a lot to them as well, she knew. She knew that somehow, they felt connected with it.

She knew why it connected to them, but she was sure that they didn't know.

 _"Across a thousand years...let the prayers return..."_

Suddenly two voices joined her, and it startled her to hear Nea and Mana sing with her.

 _"I will never cease to pray...oh God, let this child know what love is...and kiss the hands you hold."_

Katerina felt tears drip down her cheeks, only to be wiped away quickly by Mana. He must think that she missed them, because he only promised to visit more

But it-it wasn't that!

She couldn't tell them...but she felt so much guilt. Guilt for what she knew would happen.

~insertlinebreak~

"Hey, Wisely?"

"Yeah...?"

"Were you kidding, about what you told me?"

"...No..."

Road sighed, "I see..."


	6. The Musician

**This chapter is a complete and utter filler. It offers nothing to the plot except for one little thing, and I think it's pretty obvious what. Virtual cookie to who guesses it! In truth, I just really want to get to the first ark.**

 **The first ark rolls around in chapter ten.**

 **Also, I have some of the story written out. This all actually began from one scene, and I built around it because that scene to me was really interesting**

 **But like I said, this is just a filler. Isn't even that good in my opinion.**

 **Thank you to everybody who favorited, followed, and reviewed!**

 **Edited somewhat: 6/23/16**

* * *

The Musician

 _Maybe that's why that song...the song that was previously a lullaby...became known as; The Fourteenth's Song._

 _And him..?_

 _The Musician._

 _~insertlinebreak~_

The night they found out, they were having a feast. A feast to honor the awakening of the Noah desire. He insisted on being called 'William' His human name, not his Noah name.

Everything was going well. Road ate all of the cake, and was giggling because Joido was drunk off of the wine the adults drank. Wisely was getting Joido on camera for blackmail, and was thoroughly enjoying Joido trying to teach a book how to read. Everybody was laughing and enjoying each other's company, welcoming the newest Noah into the family.

Mana was the person who brought it up.

"The ark's gates are becoming brittle," It was said in the middle of dinner, and everybody looked up in surprise. Mana said it so casually, spooning a cooked potato into his mouth.

Road blinked, "Um...Millennie just what are we supposed to do about that...?" That was supposed to be his job, wasn't it? She went to say this, thinking that the Earl was in one of his 'episodes.'

His episodes consisted of him trying to push of his duties on them. He did it often, when he didn't want to take his 'Earl' duties seriously.

It usually resulted in an argument between Nea and Mana. Before they could burst into the argument Road fully expected, she tried to intervene.

"Um, Millennie-"

"I'll do it later," Nea piped up, swiftly interrupting anything Road said. He ignored the glare from Mana he got.

"Later? That is our ark I'm talking about! The sacred relic of our ancestor, and you said later?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. The Noah all stopped eating at his outburst, with the exception of Nea who paid him no paid. He kept eating.

"Yes, later."

"What type of a Noah are you?!"

Nea barely looked up, "The kind who wants to finish his dinner," He smoothly replied. Confusion was building up like storm as they watched the twin brothers bicker. Road, who sat next to Nea as always, latched onto Nea's arm.

"Hey, don't leave us out of things!" She pouted, "I wanna know what you two are talking about!" Road whined, and they all knew that she was fully capable of having a temper tantrum if she didn't get her way.

"Keeping secrets isn't good," Lucy agreed.

There was a short laugh from the end of the table, and all eyes turned to Wisely. He never ate, not much anyway so he was already finished. He had his head laid on his crossed arms, smirking a bit at his family.

They were clueless, so clueless.

"You mean, you all don't know about Nea?"

Nea and Mana's eyes widened, as if they were harboring a dark secret, "We never told anyone!" Mana stood up, along with Nea. They glared at the Wisdom.

 _The devil probably read our th_ oughts.

"Of course not, Nea!" Wisely looked offended, "I'm good at reading people, and it's written all over your faces."

 _Yeah, good at reading people's minds._

Nea sighed; he couldn't hide it anymore he supposed. He wasn't sure why Mana fought so hard to keep it a secret anyway. He didn't understand why he didn't tell him about the ark's failing gates in private.

This wasn't the first time that Nea was faced with the aged ark's old technology differences. It was advanced, but not to Nea's taste. The gates shattered too easily, the ark could only move with manual command. Nea wanted it to reach his level of advancement, where he could open it using only his mind.

Even if Nea didn't understand Mana, he never understood why Mana kept it a secret.

His secret power.

All Noah's had a power, a power that was completely unique. Whether it was Wisely's mind reading, or William's body control, or Road's dreamworld, they all had different powers. Mana was exempt, of course, because he was their center and one other thing.

Nea...

The anomaly, took the one power that was made for the Earl. The power that was truly supposed to show that he was leader.

"I suppose that it can't be helped. The ark is supposed to be controlled by Mana, the Millennium Earl. However, and William I don't know if you know this but-" He looked between Mana and himself. They clasped hands as if delivering important news.

All leaned in.

"We're twins brothers!" They revealed, and it caused everybody to fall out of their chairs. The two blinked as they all struggled to get up. They couldn't believe it-could they really be that ridiculous?

How annoying.

"Oi, Nea!" Road exclaimed, "That's obvious! You two are identical."

Mana laughed, "No, wait! We're going somewhere with this."

Nea smiled, "Mana, as the legend states, is supposed to have my powers. However, we were born at the same time. So, our powers split. Mana is the Earl, but I have sole control of the Ark."

Everything went silent.

After a few moments of shocked silence, Joido spoke up, "B-but that's impossible!"

"Not for an anomaly!" Road piped up cheerfully, "I want to know how you control the ark, Nea! Can I watch?" She seemed to not be surprised, like she expected it. She kept staring at Nea, waiting. From behind them, Wisely stared at her for a moment and looked away.

Nea paused, "Eh...Road..." He trailed off, not wanting to reject her. He still didn't want to take her, though. Road's pouted.

"Please?! I'll be good, i'll behave." Road promised, and nodded firmly, "Promise!"

And resigned, Nea agreed and took her into his ark.

~insertlinebreak~

Nea sat, and reviewed over the day's events. Road sat on his bed, because she refused to go to hers. Wisely was in there was well, already asleep. A 'sleepover' is what Road insisted on calling it.

He called it them invading his privacy.

 _What Road reported back, was uncanny. It led to them changing the name of their lullaby. Formerly, 'Kiss The Hands You Hold' was now simply, 'The Fourteenth's Song.'_

 _He played that song to control the ark. To fix their ark._

 _It angered Mana, because Katerina sang that to them. He thought it should've been called the full name, because Katerina loved it so.. But, he allowed it because the full name was a mouthful. Not to mention it was in Japanese, something Nea never understood._

 _Edo had been controlled by them for years, long before Katerina was born. So how...?_

 _But then he remembered- they were not born of normal circumstances. Their mother was human, but their father? He was the former Earl himself, and probably gave the song to both the ark and their mother._

 _Nea, when he was born, always knew that song._

 _It always rested inside of him, as well as a melody. Mana had to learn the lyrics but Nea already knew them. He knew them without Katerina having to sing them._

 _But since Mana now knew the words, Nea when he was younger, made a score to go with it. Secret symbols that he never told Mana about, and when Mana finally saw it he refused to translate._

 _It was just him being jealous, but now for some reason it meant more._

 _But he needed something to hold it in-he just didn't know what._

Road picked up the score sheet, confused, "Nea...what is this?" It was a drawing of something, but Road couldn't understand what. It looked almost like a blueprint. Then again, Nea didn't have very good art skills. It could be a cat for all she knew, Nea was strange like that.

Nea snatched the paper away from her, "It's nothing Road."


	7. Together Again

**Okay, I said that it was supposed to be chapter 10, but I got tired of the plot being so slow so I sped it up. I erased three chapters...or rather rearranged , we're ending our first arc finally! This is the end of the Together Again arc. Now, were actually getting into the plot that I put into the summary. Well, next chapter we will be. This chapter is just everybody awakening. It's actually pretty important, because of reasons I can't reveal.**

 **You'll know soon enough!**

 **So anyway, thank you to everybody who followed and liked the story. I can't wait to get into the next chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own it.**

 **Chapter 7: Together Again.**

* * *

Together Again

 _Finally...finally we can be...together...again..._

* * *

 _The Noah were awakening at a painfully slow pace. It seemed that they stayed at six members for so many months. It was wearing on Mana, Nea knew. As the Millennium Earl, it was his job to make sure this family was intact. Mana was a step away from a break down. So when they finally started awakening, they were all so relieved._

 _If only...Nea could shake the bad feeling._

 _But Nea wouldn't let his bad feeling get in the way of Mana's happiness. He couldn't..._

 _They needed to be together._

* * *

Mana was excited; he was so excited that he could hardly keep it in. He could barely keep still as he held tightly onto Nea, a smile threatening to split apart his face. On the table in front of him was a list of names.

 _We're almost...almost there..._

Eight were on the paper. Eight family members awakened-that meant six to go. They were so close, so close to completion.

"Nea, can you believe it?" He asked.

"What, that our family is finally growing?" He smiled contently, "I guess I can't, but...the better question is, how do you feel about it, my dear Earl? This is, after all, your family." He turned to Mana.

He was the center of it all, the reason why they came together in the first place. Although he and Mana had always been together, would always be together, they would've never met anybody else if they were never Noah. Nea would have never known how annoying it was to have such a big family, after having only a family of three.

Mana was frowning.

"But it's our family, Nea! You're my brother...almost like my other half-my twin! I would've never been able to do anything without you." Everything he did, he had always been with Nea. Even through their change, through that painful day, he had been with him.

"Hm...but you are the Earl-"

"Just as you are the anomaly," Mana interrupted, pulling at Nea's cheeks defiantly, "And stop disagreeing with me, I'm older so you have to agree!" Nea swatted at his hands, as if Mana was the youngest.

"Cut that out, and only by a few minutes."

"Ah, but a few minutes matters a lot in terms of maturity!" Mana stated, talking as if he was speaking to a child.

Nea blinked, "That actually explains why I'm so much more mature than you," He accepted the hit for his reply, laughing it off, "But honestly, acting like an excited puppy isn't going to make Wisely and Road bring him back faster."

He was referring to 'Wrath', the newest Noah to have awakened. Road was better at soothing people than Mana was, although in truth the Earl should be there. However, Wrath tended to be a bit...rowdy and Road was the only person with a personality fit to contain it. The sweet, yet twisted little girl was good at that sort of thing.

Everybody else had left at some point or another. Joido and Lucy went out together for tea, unable to take Mana's bouncing. Wisely and Road were retrieving Wrath. Claire and Maitora, the Noah's newest Pity and Ability, had left, but didn't tell where they were going.

"Nea?"

"Yes...?" Nea looked up again.

Mana was smiling, "We never really had such a big family, did we? It was always you, Mama, and I, right?"

"That's right, just the three of us."

Mana's smile, if possible, grew brighter, "I never really thought about it, because we were under so much stress at first, but isn't it strange? We really didn't think anything of it, going from a small family to a big one."

"What's with this change? You suddenly went from a puppy to a sloth?!" Nea hit him over the head, rolling his eyes had the fit of laughter Mana erupted into.

Sometimes, it was really easy to forget that they were a family with an 'evil' goal. With the way they acted, so childish and affectionate, you'd think they were a normal family.

Yet...seeing Road with blood all over her dress...seeing Mana turn a hopeless soul into an Akuma...as if at one point they weren't humans...

It was all really astounding, really. Nea sighed; he really had to stop musing like this. It was actually becoming pretty depressing.

The last thing he needed was for Mana to believe it was in some sort of clinical depression. Then Mana would _never_ leave him alone-and despite the fact that he loved Mana dearly, he couldn't handle him twenty-four seven.

Even though they were regularly seen holding hands.

And although at some points it was as if they were joined at the hip.

 _I'm...not exactly helping my case...am I?_

"Haha, it's nothing, I was just musing. Fourteen is a huge family, isn't it?"

"Well, right now it's eight." Nea commented blandly.

Mana sat back, and pouted, until Road's door opened before them. Slowly, Road emerged, leading out a bloody man by the hand. It was almost comical, seeing Road as small as she is, lead out a very large man as if he was the child.

"No.." She whispering, "It's alright...it's alright..come meet our master...the Earl." And he looked up, and his eyes widened.

Mana looked incredibly pleased with himself, "Welcome home, Wrath."

Road shook her head, "His name is Thomas, that's what his mother told me...well before..." She nodded at the blood on her dress and on Wrath's clothes.

"Did you kill her, Road?" Nea scolded gently, _I just bought her that dress..._

"No, Thomas did! Her blood just got on me is all, it ruined my dress..." She pouted, but then smiled, "I'll go get everyone, and we'll welcome them together!"

Nea and Mana nodded, contented; things were finally going according to plan.

~insertlinebreak~

Two weeks after Thomas awakened, Bonds began their awakening. For their awakening, everybody was present. In the attic of a church, where the two girls were awaiting a blessing, the Noah gathered.

Stigmata were clearly shown on their heads. Road knelt down, along with Lucy, and gently rested each of their heads on their laps.

"Oh," Road sighed, "Poor girls."

 _No matter what...just like we can't escape the hatred of innocence we feel, we can't escape the pain of our awakening._

One of the girl's fluttered their eyes open, "W-who are...?"

"Shh, we're your family," Nea supplied helpfully, "You're true family."

"Not the family that locked you in here, the attic of a church." Wisely piped up, "But we'll tell you more."

"M-my sister...Alice...?"

Lucy smiled gently, "She's right beside you...she's fine as well." She brushed the girl's hair back. Alice, the girl that was still whimpering in pain, shied away from the touch. Lucy, pulled her closer.

"They're Bonds, "Road observed, "I can't imagine how it would be to be awakening, and not know how your twin sibling is doing. Especially if you're awakening together."

Almost immediately, all eyes turned to the second pair of twins in the room. The two who stood slightly to the back together, clasping hands. Nea rolled his eyes, but Mana smiled bashfully.

"We don't count!" Mana protested, "We are separate Noah!"

"But you awakened together," Road retorted, before turning her attention back on the girl resting, "Did you here that...? They're in the same boat..." She smiled tenderly; comfort, affection.

The girl opened her eyes, "You...too? Will she be okay?"

Nea smiled, "We're still together, see?" They lifted her hands, "And he's annoying but we haven't left each other...your bond will her will be our bond."

"Okay..."

Nea and Mana smiled at each other, as the two girls held hands.

Mana walked forward, "Welcome, Alice, Mary. To the Noah."

~insertlinebreak~

In the span of a month, their Corrosion, Fiidora awakened. It wouldn't have been such a shock if it hadn't happened on Road and Wisely's walk home. Although they technically lived in Edo, the Noah run capital of Japan, they always walked together to an abandoned alley way to make it seem like they lived close.

Not that teachers would have cared; Mana did pay quite a lot for them to go to private schooling.

Road was giving loose to change to a beggar, when he suddenly fell over. Not expecting it, Road had screamed in fright. Wisely had run to see what was wrong with her, and then promptly silenced her when he revealed who it was.

Nea and Mana hadn't been there to see it, but they had felt the awakening, even from Edo.

Mana grinned at Nea; "One more left."

 _And we'll finally be..._

~insertlinebreak~

The day Toraido, their Judgement awakened, they all had a feast. Everything seemed normal;Road hung off of Nea like sloth. Toraido was welcomed into the family with food and drinks. Everybody(with the exception of Road(too young), Wisely(too young), and Mana and Nea(hated the taste) drank wine to celebrate.)

Alice and Mary sang, Road danced, and everybody laughed. They played games, and everybody got along. It was the first time that all fourteen Noah were together.

It was the happiest Nea saw Mana in a long time. He kept switching between grinning and laughing. It would've been embarrassing, if Nea wasn't so happy.

 _Finally, we're together again!_

It would've been perfect.

It would've been perfect, if Nea hadn't went to sleep that night. Those bad feelings he had been feeling...

It was a shame, they were finally together.

~insertlinebreak~

 _A burning sunset, the sound of wind..._

Nea sat up, sweat sticking to his body.

What the hell was that?

* * *

Dun! Dun! Dun! I want to get the next chapter out in like a week. It may be hard because I'm attending K-Con NY and I will be pretty occupied with getting ready with that. However, I will try my best! Wish me luck.


	8. He, Who Drowns In Memories

**Hey everybody! I was really, really, really excited for this chapter. Maybe that's why it ended up being a bit longer than usual. We are finally into the actually plot! Finally! I've been erasing and adding chapters from the geico but I thought I'd never get to this point. After Together Again I was lke; 'Finally!'**

 **This chapter was actually the first thing planned out.**

* * *

He, Who Drowns In Memories

~insertlinebreak~

 _"Mana...please don't hate me..."_

 _It was funny really._

 _"Nea, don't you hate me?"_

 _They ended up switching roles._

~insertlinebreak~

 _That burning sunset...the sound of wind..._

 _What remained that day..._

Nea sat up, sweat making his sheets stick to his body-what the hell was that?

Nightmares didn't come often in their family, especially since most of the horrific things in the world they caused. Nothing really frightened him anymore, and if he was being honest with himself the dream wasn't that scary in the first place.

It was just...the realism of the place...

That tree, he recognized it. That huge tree behind their house that he and Mana used to play by. The tree that they always went to when they were sad, because they felt connected to it. When Katerina told stories about their father, she would always start with, 'we met by that tree.' She would always say it carefully, as if it would trigger something inside of them.

But then again, Katerina was always like that. She was always so careful when she spoke, especially to them, as if she was afraid.

That shouldn't matter, that dream,because it should have been only a dream. Except, it felt different-strange somehow. He didn't recognize the feeling.

Everything felt as if it wasn't a dream, but a memory.

The very thought shook Nea to his core, and he attempted to calm himself down lest he wake Road or worse-Mana. Those two...they could strangely tell when something was bothering him. Road, he could conclude that since she was the Noah of dreams, her Noah sucked her into the dreams of her loved ones. Road did often complain of never sleeping much.

And hey, she _was_ the Noah of dreams. Perhaps she didn't need to. Mana, however, was a different story.

Mana?

Mana was just so focused on him that he knew when he was troubled-it was rather creepy, really.

He especially didn't want to wake up his newer family members. After all, they didn't quite know the quirks of the Noah family, especially when it came to he and Mana. He wasn't too sure if they(Not including Alice and Mary) knew that they were twins. It would only cause trouble, to wake them up with his problems.

 _Then again..._

 _What exactly is the problem?_

Nothing.

Nothing was the problem.

It was only a nightmare, something that all people could say that he had. Only a figment of his imagination-he could even say Road was pulling a prank on him! She was playful like that.

 _But she wouldn't...she doesn't like it when Mana or I lose sleep..._

Road didn't like to see him upset either. She, after all, was a little girl. Despite being one of the most ruthless Noah out there, she was still just a child. She hated it, when he was in any type of pain. She hated it when any of her family was in any type of pain-it actually made her cry sometimes.

Mana, he was the same way, wasn't he?

 _Mana...Mana and Nea..._

 _Destroy one...become the whole..._

"W-what?" Eyes widening, Nea grunted, a hand coming up to cover his face. His head was throbbing, his heart pounded in his ears. What...?

What was that?

What were these feelings...? Feelings of hate and anger. An unspeakable fury that filled him once Mana's name was thought. He had felt it, that hatred, before. Only when he came in contact with that substance, but Mana was the Millennium Earl. That couldn't be the case, any innocence would destroy them.

And then, a flash of light; an image. An image that made Nea run out of his room, to the bathroom, retching into the toilet.

 _Mana, dead at his feet. Blood...so much blood around him._

Mana...no...

 _The Millennium Earl, dead at his feet._

No...

 _And then him, laughing, laughing-_

 _ **NO!**_

He would never hurt him, just like he would never leave him. They loved each other too much, right? He wouldn't...couldn't...he wouldn't break his promise.

He did promise that, right?

 _I will never leave you, never. So don't push yourself, we'll always be together._

Nea didn't notice it at first, but he did when he felt wetness on her forearms. He was crying. He hadn't cried since becoming a Noah, which was nearly...no now more than a year ago. Or was it two? Two years...and he was crying.

Did it really bother him that much?

 _I don't understand it..._

Really, he should've realized it. The pain he felt...the feelings...it was so painfully obvious. He just didn't want to believe it.

~insertlinebreak~

"Nea, are you alright?"/

Nea barely had enough energy to lift his head and stare at Road. Her breakfast sat untouched in front of her, as she leaned over to worriedly look at him. Jam was beginning to get jam on her navy blue school uniform. Really, after she woke him at so early to make her breakfast, she wasn't even going to eat it? He could've spent that time attempting to rest.

"Oi, Mana will be angry if you dirty your uniform before school." Nea capped the jar for her, and ignored her huff.

"Don't avoid the question!" Road growled, and pouted, "You haven't touched yo breakfast-or your coffee-or a hair comb for that matter." She pointed to his state of dress, "You aren't even dressed!"

Her eyes softened, because in reality she was very worried. Road was like that towards him, for some reason always so worried. She wasn't that bad before...but ever since then, she became so much more focused on him. As if she was trying to protect him from something.

Nea pushed that thought to the back of his mind; No, that was silly. Road was a skilled liar, just not with him. He could always tell when she didn't tell him something.

"Nea..." She sighed, "Fine. I won't ask but...don't worry Millennie, please?" For some reason, her affectionate nickname for Mana stuck out to Nea. Everybody called him Earl, or in the newer Noah cases, they called him 'Master.'

Nobody except for him called him Mana. Both terms made his head hurt, and he groaned, letting his head drop to the table. Maybe he drank too much last night, at the party...

 _No, I hate the taste of wine...and beer...and liquor. I'm not that fond of alcoholic things. Neither is Mana, I think._

Another shot of pain went through his skull, and Nea sighed. Why was he always thinking of Mana? Before, he hadn't thought anything of it. He hadn't even noticed it, but Mana did find his way into his mind quite a bit.

Why was he always thinking of him?

Well, they were twins...but...

Road and Wisely went off to find Alice and Mary, who were enrolling into their private school. Road left him with a pat on the back, before hurriedly whispering to Wisely. They were probably worried about him.

"Bye bye Nea! We're going to get Alice and Mary now, they need their uniforms!"

Mana really needed to stop spending so much money on the children...

Another jolt of pain-really?

Thoughts of Mana be damned, why did thinking of him hurt so badly?

 _The Millennium Earl, who endured 7000 years..._

 _Who met their mother..._

 _He-_

Nea hissed, holding his head. He ignored the surprised gasp of Lucy, who rushed to check on him. Joido was calling for Mana- _damn it damn it damn it-_

"Nea, are you okay?!" He felt arms wrap around him, and long hair nearly choked him. Nea immediately knew it was Mana-not because he was the only boy Noah with such long hair, but because he was the only person(besides Road) who hugged him so tightly.

"Yes, I'm alright I think, it's just a headache. Too much to drink, eh?"

"But..." Mana pulled away, blinking, "You don't like to drink, you don't like anything that's bitter. That's why we drank cider on New Years."

It was really useless to lie, Mana really knew him too well. Sometimes he wished he didn't, but he did.

"Really, I'm alright. I promise..."

Mana didn't look like he believed him, even less so when he was still wincing in pain, but he nodded.

"Alright then..."

~insertlinebreak~

That night, Nea went to sleep wearily. Mana had felt that they didn't spend enough 'family' time together, so they all slept in the common room. Nea knew him well, just as he knew him well, and so he knew it was to keep an eye on him.

After all, he was so worried earlier that day. Mana loved to keep the other Noah, even him, in the dark. He felt that as the Earl, he was untitled to secrecy-and really, he was. It was too bad, really, because Nea really knew him too well-and nothing could really be hidden from Wisely or Road.

 _Two wails tore through the air as a woman ran, and ran, and ran. She tripped and stumbled, but kept going._

 _She stopped at that tree, her face hidden by a shadow._

 _"No..."_

 _Two wails tore through the air._

Nea sat up again, this time carefully, as to not sleep Road or Wisely. They had slept next to him on the beds that they had dragged out. Road turned over in her sleep, and Wisely shifted from the abrupt movement, but neither woke.

He sighed, "This is really getting ridiculous..."

Really, it was. That dream...or memory...whatever it was-t really shouldn't be bothering him. It was probably a past memory from his Noah-the Destruction. Even if he was the anomaly, their had to be a fourteenth once, right?

Probably.

That must be why he was having those dreams...memories...whatever. It was his Noah probably remembering, not him. It was the only logical explanation.

It could make somewhat sense if he thought of it like that. But then...since his powers were split with Mana...wouldn't that mean Mana what be having dreams as well.

Mana was lying a bed away, hair half covering his face. Drool pooled on his pillow.

"Honestly...you sleep like a child, dear brother." Nea sighed, and got up. He hated this, being woken up from a dream that honestly wasn't even scary. It was just a field, and a woman running.

He was being ridiculous, and if he kept reacting so violently the Dreams of the Noah was bound to wake up. If Road woke up from his dreams-or worse got pulled into it-there'd be hell to pay.

 _Maybe I'm working too hard...with the ark...I should take a break..._

 _ **Your ark...**_

 _What? Of course, my ark, I control it._

 _ **The Earl's ark...the Millennium Earl's ark...**_

Nea sighed; arguing with the voice wasn't exactly getting him anywhere. It was only making him feel more and more crazy as the minutes passed.

"N-Nea? You're awake?" Nea groaned as Road sat up, finally shaken awake by Nea's moving. He knew he should have just said no to the sleepover, if he had just vetoed the idea in the first place...

He sighed, patting the girl on the head. Road would get suspicious; she always got worried when he was up late at night.

"Go back to sleep, Road."

Road laid back down, but her eyes were trained on Nea's back. She sighed, and closed her eyes.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Everything's fine, why wouldn't it be?"

"Because I _know_ you, Nea."

Nea looked away, "I see..."

Something truly was wrong; horribly, horribly wrong.

~insertlinebreak~

 _What remained was..._

 _The woman lifted her head, tears running down her beautiful face._

 _"No..."_

 _What remained were two babies. Two wails tore through the air._

 _"Don't worry! I'll take care of you; Nea D. Campbell. Mana D. Campbell."_

Nea sat up again, by now not even bothering to be surprised. Three nights this happened, and all three nights he had been petrified. Now, he wasn't so much scared as to confused.

That woman...that woman at the tree. She looked so familiar...With wavy dark hair...wide glassy black eyes...pale skin. Where did he...?

Oh, that's right.

Katerina.

"Mother...?" Nea's eyes widened in realization, as his heart broke. A short, broken laugh escaped his lips, "I see...so that's how it went..."

He finally remembered something.

~insertlinebreak~

 _What remained on that day...was...two babies...that she named out of boredom._

 _They weren't her sons at all._


	9. The Beginning

**_Hit a major block with this. This chapter isn't even part of my outline. BUT the chapter I planned: About Mother is giving , me somewhat of a hard time. It's horrible, trust me. This chapter...it explains some stuff I guess. I figured do some damage control before I create an accidental plot hole. Covering my bases for the win! I'm also knee deep in summer work(I'm taking Honors English, History, Geometry. and a fast paced french class. Why couldn't I just take basic classes? I hate it.) Anyway, thank you to all who reviewed, favorite, and followed. I love you guys!_**

 ** _Also, sorry for the short chapter._**

 _The Beginning_

"Nea...?"

Nea looked up from his book, glancing at his brother. They were the only ones awake, it was late. Wisely and Road had been awake, writing essays for school, but when Road fell asleep Wisely carried her off. Now they were alone.

"Hm?"

They hadn't talked much. Nea had done his best to avoid Mana, and he supposed Mana was starting to notice. He'd humor him this time. After all, strange dreams...memories...whatever was no reason to ignore him. Mana was, after all, all he had at first.

"We awakened two years ago...right?"

"Yeah, just about."

Mana smiled, "It feels like so much longer don't you think? Maybe it's because it's as if we're raising a whole family?" Nea laughed, because in a way it was true. Sure, some of them were adults. However, a great deal of them were children.

Not to mention Lucy and Toraido bickered like children and Joido argued with Road...it was like they were raising family. Family was what they were, in truth. They weren't relates by blood...well most of them weren't. However, they were connected by something deeper.

It made Nea smile, because having such a huge family...it was sort of nice. If the antics didn't annoy him, that is.

"Yeah...I guess..."

"We were what? Seventeen when we awakened, our birthday was less than a month away. We were away from home, I think we visited the neighboring town."

He looked at Nea, "Don't you remember?"

Nea looked at him, "How can I not? A week later, Road awakened. Two weeks after that...we moved out." In turn, making Katerina so sad.

But Nea did remember, that day. It was the day he lost everything...he gained everything as well.

~insertlinebreak~

 _ **-Two years Earlier-**_

 _ **A Hotel-Evening**_

"Nea...I'm still not feeling well..."

"You're still feel sick?" Nea walked towards him, pressing his hand to his forehead, "Hm...you're fever hasn't gone down. I should call Mother."

"No!" Mana grabbed his hand, "Please don't...I'll be fine..."

Nea sighed, "Mana...disease kills humans everyday...I'll call the hotel for medicine." In truth, Nea hadn't felt well since the morning, but Mana was always more sensitive to things like this. Even if it was just a simple cold.

"That sounds good..." Mana grimaced from something-pain? He had already taken pain medicine for his headache, but people around this town make pretty potent medicine for fever.

Even when Nea brought it to him, and he drank it with tea, he didn't feel any better. The tea was bitter with the medicine, so Nea had to have put a lot in it. Still, he didn't feel any cooler.

Everything seemed like it was burning, his body, his mind. Mana couldn't breathe, and he felt like he was dying. His head was pounding, his vision was swimming.

Somebody was whispering to him.

 _Never...forgive..._

He felt something wet drip down his head. His eyes widened.

Somebody was pleading'

 _Never...forgive... the..._

"Nea?!"

 _...innocence..._

"Hm?"

And then somebody was screaming.

 _ **The Earl of Millennium who endured seven thousand years...**_

He felt so much hatred...but for what he didn't know. It really hurt...when he thought about it...it was truly painful.

"My head is bleeding..." When Nea brushed his hair out of his face, he saw then. The stigmata. They were there the whole time, he supposed, hidden by his hair.

"M-Mana?"

Mana opened his eyes, and saw Nea's as well, "You...too..." They were on his head, as well.

"What?"

Mana started screaming then, from the fear and pain. Nea couldn't help, because moments after staring, he collasped as well.

The only thing was that with Nea, when he woke up, Mana was beside him. He was smiling, whispering to him. He felt so relieved, because he had been so worried then, hadn't he? He didn't ask Mana when he woke up, or how he was feeling because he knew.

It was like a connection, almost.

He woke on the bed, where Mana was lying before. Mana wasn't there, so he panicked. It was scary, to wake up with gray skin and golden eyes and _not_ see your brother.

It was hard not to feel alone, when waking up like that.

When he finally saw him, he hadn't called him Mana, "Good Evening, my dear Earl."

"Good evening...my brother."

Mana smiled, "Y'know, we can't go back to church, right?"

"Yeah...thank goodness..."

They laughed, and everything seemed lighter.

That's basically what happened that day, when they awakened. There was of course, a lot of screaming but for the most part, that's all it was. The promise came a while back, after they fully understood.

But yeah, that's how it all really began. With the Earl and the Fourteenth.

~insertlinebreak~

Mana beamed, "I remember now! Then Road awakened...and then Joido."

Nea looked at him, "What brought this on?"

Mana shrugged, "I was playing the piano(I can play it too!) when I thought about it. It's weird but, our awakening really wasn't normal right?"

 _I'd been thinking the same way but...then again..._

 _I don't think you want to know what I'm thinking of..._

Nea shrugged.

"I guess not..." He hit him, "It's midnight, let's not talk about this."

They awakened together, as they were born together. Nea didn't dare say it, not out loud, but it made him think.

~insertlinebreal~

With a sigh, he shut the door to his room. Something flew towards him when he did, and rested on his shoulder.

"Hey, are you up for a road trip? I think it's time to question mother dearest," He looked at it,"What do you think, Tim?"


	10. About Mother

**I'm dooone!**

 **Really the Noah's colors are hard to screw up. THEY WERE IN THE PREVIOUS ANIME. HOW'D THEY GO FROM GRAY TO BROWN? ROAD'S HAIR PISSES ME OFF TOO. SHE WENT FROM BLUE TO PURPLE. AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON MIRANDA.**

 **Note made on 8/19/16: There are many lyrics to Tsunaida Te Ni Kisu Wo. I like a lot of the versions, so if the versions seem muddled, it's because I'm using that. For example, 'Love The Last' is sometimes supplied for 'Bestow love upon this child' or even 'Teach this child what love is.'**

 **Just if you get confused.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own it.**

 **Edited somewhat: 8/19/16**

* * *

About Mother:

 _In truth, Katerina never meant to become a mother. Katerina never wanted children or a husband. She had_ _just left her home, leaving behind a family. Her mother and father...she wanted to be independent and they didn't agree._

 _She left, and met him weeks later. Stupidly, she began to care. It started from that, and when she found_ _ **them,**_ _she couldn't say no._

 _Not that he truly asked._

 _"Ha...ha...I can do this, for him right?" She tried to smile, because she knew it'd be hard. Her heart was too open-she was too loving._

 _She began to hate it; innocence, God. The substance that was the cause of everything. And yet, on that day...she pleaded with him._

 _ **"Please...if my prayers have any value ..."**_

 _Love the last._

 _ **~insertlinebreak~**_

That morning, Nea wasn't at breakfast. They were whispering about it, until Mana came into the room. He was humming-he didn't notice it yet. The chair beside Road's-the chair Nea always sat in-was empty. Once he noticed it, he would surely freak out. After all, he _never_ didn't know where Nea was. This had to be a first, and it was terrifying. They waited with baited breath. Maybe he wouldn't notice...just maybe...

After all...the adults were all asleep. It was only Mary, Alice, Road, and Wisely awake. They had to go to school, and they got up early because although Edo was ahead of Paris, it seemed to take them all forever to get ready. Road was scribbling down homework, Wisely was helping her. Mary was eating as Alice brushed Road's hair.

Mana being up was actually worrisome. Nea was usually up, but Mana was _not_ a morning person. So it meant two things:

He was in an extraordinary mood.

Or...

He already knew-and that was scary.

"Do you think...?" Alice whispered to Mary and Road. They nodded furiously. Both looked petrified.

"Oh, most definitely!" Mary nodded.

Road looked over, nervously,"Maybe...not..."

Wisely scoffed, "Oh, he most definitely will."

"Told you, Road." Alice and Mary both chorused, giggling. Road pouted, and followed Mana with her eyes as he went to sit down. He still hadn't noticed. The seating for their dining table went: Mana, Road, Nea. He walked right past the empty seat. It made them all stare in shock.

 _No way...! He really hasn't noticed yet?_

Wisely leaned in, "He is a bit of a airhead, you know." With that they all relaxed. There was no way. Nea was obviously the more observant of the two...Mana would never, ever notice-

 _ **"So..."**_

They all jumped at it. That voice...! It was so frightening...they had never heard Mana sound that way. It was actually scary. They shrank back, and pushed forward their sacrifical lamb: Road.

"Yes, Millennie?" Road answered sweetly, trying not to get yelled at. Mana was definitely angry...or at least annoyed.

Either way, it was still a scary voice.

 _ **"Where exactly is Nea?"**_

 _He noticed...!_

Wisely laughed nervously, "Well, Earl, you see...he left early. He has something important to do..." That was a lie. The only person up when he left was Road, and only because he accidentally woke her up. He tripped outside of her room, and she heard. He refused to say where he was going. Wisely was only cleverly covering for him because he was a good nephew.

That and Road adored Nea, and would hate him(her brother!) if he got Nea in trouble.

Mana suddenly looked much happier, with a bright smile he began to eat, "Well, okay then."

 _That's all it took?!_

They all sighed, relieved, until Mana spoke again.

"Road, Wisely?"

They froze, terrified. They knew it was too good to be true. Road considered calling William, to restrain Mana long enough for them to escape.

How scary...she actually wanted to go to school.

"Y-yes?"

"Trail him, please. _**Brothers should never keep secrets..."**_ He was laughing, quite creepily. It would've made babies cry...

Road gulped; She refused to choose between Mana(who she loved) and Nea(who she loved as well).

"Millennie...that's not good. Nea may never speak to you again..." Which was a lie, because that's never happen. But they were hoping, desperately, that he'd take the bluff. Nea would never not speak to Mana, but hey, Mana was gullible.

"You should trust each other(Nea owes me...)." Wisely reasoned.

Mana visibly deflated, pouting into his breakfast, "Fine...but Nea has explaining to do. Go to school, all of you."

Road opened her door, and the children practically disappeared through it.

Alice looked at Mary, "Do you think...?"

"That we should tell him?" Mary finished, asking Road.

Road blinked, "About _it_?" It didn't seem too important...

"Yeah."

Wisely grabbed them, "It's just a golem, nothing major." And they ignored it. In fact, they never really paid attention to it. That yellow golem that Nea now carried.

Whatever.

~insertlinebreak~

 **With our trouble making Fourteenth anomaly ~**

 **-The D. Campbell Residence-**

Nea looked forwards, towards the house he grew up in. It didn't look different from the last time they visited. The wheat that grew around it was much, much longer. Then again, he hadn't visited for months. It was natural that it grew to this length maybe after the visit, he'd cut it for her. She shouldn't have to do the hard work.

"Well then, Tim, are you ready?"

Timcanpy flew around him, excitedly. This was his first time outside, after all. He made him not to long ago, Road had found the blueprint, when she and Wisely high jacked his room.

 _"Nea, what is this?"_

 _"Ah, it's nothing, Road."_

He used Tim to hold the score, but so far he hadn't needed Tim for it. After all, he knew the notes by heart. The only thing he needed to be recorded was the secret alphabet he made.

Tim wasn't so much a secret as the score was. He wasn't sure if Tim could tell he and Mana apart, not yet. He'd tell Mana about Timcanpy when he was sure Tim could tell them apart. They were indentical, and Tim(if he messed up while programming) was bound to be a little dense.

"This is my Mother's(kind of, sort of, maybe) house. Be polite, okay?" Timcanpy nuzzled his face, "Right, I know."

Nea didn't knock, but his hand froze at the knob. For some reason, his heart was hammering in his chest. He was scared of something...but he didn't know what. Knowing the truth? He was, after all, in his Noah form. If she opened the door...

After today, Katerina would know. That is, if she didn't already know. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to tell her. Maybe he should transform out and just take her out for bonding. It would save him the trouble of seeing her cry, and possibly(and embarrassingly) crying himself.

Or maybe he should just leave. That sounded good.

Or maybe-

Timcanpy cocked his head in question. Then, he rammed his head into the door. It was probably his way of knocking.

Nea cursed, and then glared, "Tim-ack, fine. I was taking a while." He admitted.

"Who is it?" Nea froze as the door opened, revealing Katerina. Her expression brightened when she saw him, and then after a moment her eyes filled with tears. Her smile was so pained, but she hugged him anyway.

"I guess...we can't avoid it, huh dear?" Katerina whispered , "I..failed...I promised to protect you..."

Nea gently pushed her away, "I'm more than capable now, of protecting myself. Trust me." He tried to make it into a joke as he pointed to his stigmata.

Katerina giggled, "Yes, you are. Now then," She dusted off her very pretty dress, "What happened? Where's Mana?"

"I'm alone. there's some questions I have. "

Katerina never stopped smiling, "About what? No..." She sat, "I known what about..."

 _She does?_

"Nea...Mana is the Earl yes?"

"Yes..."

Katerina nodded, "I told you, that your father was the former right? That he gave up his powers for you, right?"

"Yes..."

Katerina wasn't smiling anymore, "Forgive me...I lied so much."

"Twenty one years ago, a year before you were born. I _did_ meet the Earl. However, we never married, and I was never with child."

Nea didn't say anything. He stayed silent, even when he wanted to speak. Timcanpy, his newest companion, was recording everything. He had that feature, to record.

"Nea..." Katerina was crying, "I'm not your mother."

And yet, Nea couldn't feel surprised. Because somewhere inside, he knew. It was truly, painfully obvious.

~insertlinebreak~

 _What remained that day was..._

 _Two wails tore through the air._

 _"No..."_

 _Katerina knelt, beside the babies. She was crying, because he was no longer with her. But, she could feel him, within these two. She lifted one up. It was so...squishy. It was crying...she didn't know what to do! Babies weren't her forte!_

 _"What to do...?"_

 _She smiled, brightly, "I know...!" She actually didn't..._

 _"I'll be your mother!" She set the baby down and pointed, "Mana D. Campbell." She didn't even know what she was doing._

 _She pointed to another, "Nea D. Campbell."_

 _She would almost surely kill these babies..._

 _And even though she was sure God hated her,_ _ **"To God, if my prayers have any meaning at all..."**_


	11. The Past of You and Me

**This was done a while ago...I was just holding it hostage. I was tired because school dragged me back for a meeting, but you know! I have about two months left of summer, so I'm gonna use it! I love you guys so...much! Thank you for your support. I'M STILL IN LOVE WITH ALLEN, HE'S SOO CUTE.**

 **I JUST FOUND OUT THAT ROAD'S FORMER VOICE ACTRESS IS A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER. I STARTED DYING OF LAUGHTER**

 **Disclaimer: D gray man...Y U NO LET ME OWN IT HOSHINO-SAN?**

* * *

Untitled chapter: The Past of You and Me Part 1

Katerina's chapter:

 _On that day, I lost somebody dear to me, but I gained so much more._

 _For he, who disappeared for the first time in 7000 years, I will do this._

 _Though it was never my intention, I will become a mother._

 _For him, I will protect them._

 _So...please, God, if you have any mercy at all: Protect them._

 _Give those children your upmost love._

* * *

When Nea returned, he wasn't all that surprised to see Mana in his room. He figured that he would worry-just like he figured that Road and Wisely would attempt to cover for him. Mana probably didn't believe them.

He sighed, "Am I in trouble?"

"Not at all."

"Are you sleeping in my room?"

"Of course."

Nea sighed again, because maybe he should have _expected_ that. He didn't understand it; everytime they were worried about him, his family I mean, they'd always sleep in his room with him. Road did it(most often), Wisely did it sometimes, and Mana as well.

It was almost as if they were trying to ease his worries, by reassuring him. It did, them being beside him, so he supposed he didn't mind.

"So..." Mana sounded so worried. It made him feel like such a terrible brother, and maybe he was. He certainly felt like a terrible brother, for more reasons than one. He would humor him, at least this once. For Mana.

Nea looked at him, "Yes?"

"Are you really going to hide where you were today?" Nea knew it would've broken Mana's heart if he lied.

He froze, and sighed. It was really wrong to lie, he supposed. There were never that many secrets between them. Even as children, they always told the truth to each other.

Lying was, after all, very wrong.

"No. I was with Mother." He said, "I was with her the whole day."

Mana's eyes brightened , "Really? Mother?! I wish I could've went but..." He pouted, "I was stuck in meetings _all_ day. I hate that to get anywhere we have to have a social background." He whined.

"Really now..."

"Yeah! They asked for you, the handsome bachelor that their daughters adored..." He could hear the teasing, and Nea smiled. It was almost funny, how this was his life.

"Oh shush, I hope you know that they could've easily been talking about you. Not many can tell us apart."

Mana chuckled, "They all really seem to miss the difference in hair length, huh?" He touched his long strands, that he refused to cut. Mana liked long hair, as Nea knew, even going as far as to make Road grow out hers.

"Noble women, stupid."

Mana looked at him, "It _is_ a shame though, that I couldn't see Mother. Stupid meetings." He said again.

To stay on top, they were all regarded as noble people. It led to a lot of boring parties, but Road adored the attention and the money brought in paid for the children's private schooling.

"It is a shame, but I only talked with her."

"About what?" Mana pressed.

"..."

"Nea?"

"..."

"Nea...?"

"..."

 _I can't tell him..._

"TELL MEEE!"

"Oh shut up with that."

He threw a pillow at Mana's face, smiling gently as Mana fell back laughing. Even with everything, he was still glad that they were brothers. At least, he was glad that they treated each other as brothers.

"Fine, fine."

After all...

 _What happened?_

Nea's smile dimmed, _Mana..._

What Katerina told him...?

She told him of her past, and his 'future.'

 _Future, right. Not if I have anything to say about it._

~insertlinebreak~

 **-D. Campbell Residence, twenty one years earlier-**

 **Katerina age: 19**

A hat fell at her feet. Katerina looked up, confused. It had only been a few weeks, she guessed, since she moved into her new home. Her parents were against it, because they wanted to marry her off. It was all her land, so why was somebody on it?

Not that she minded, it wasn't like someone walking on her property was a crime.

The man was standing by a tree, staring at her.

"Excuse me," Katerina called, "Is this your hat?"

He nodded.

 _Not a man of many words, is he?_

"Do...you want me to bring it to you?"

Another nod. Even though he wasn't really talking to her, she felt glad to see another person. For the weeks she was alone, without anybody, it was always silent and still. It was hard not to forget that there was a _world_ outside.

Seeing him...even if it was for a moment...

It made it a bit more bearable.

Katerina gently smiled at him, as she went to give him his hat. She set it on his head, trying to be as polite as possible.

"My name is Katerina D. Campbell!" She smiled sweetly.

"..."

 _...Did I say something wrong?_

"Won't you tell me your name?" She blinked, confused. He reached out, as if about to touch her, and then pulled back his hand. There was something strange in his eye, but he couldn't place it.

He looked away, "Adam." His voice was young, but it sounded so weathered. As if he went through many hardships.

Katerina nodded, "That's a nice name, easy to remember. My name is very unusual you see, so people didn't often remember. They'd say to my parents, 'Oh, where's that daughter of yours'? Pretty girl she is, pretty. My, my where is Katherine?'

She giggled, "And each time, I had to say-and how embarrassing-Thank you for the compliments, but my name is Katerina. It's Greek, and-I'm babbling aren't I? I'm sorry-"

"I don't mind." He suddenly spoke.

"Wait...huh?" Katerina blinked.

"You speaking, I don't mind." He clarified.

Katerina smiled tenderly, because he was so strange. Strange...but nice in a way. She thought that she liked to be alone, that the solitude suited her.

But...

She liked this. the conversation she was having now. He wasn't saying much, but he was _listening_ to her.

She giggled, and stuck out her hand, "Well, nice to meet you, Adam! Let's be friends."

They started from a simple conversation, she supposed. It could've ended right there, but she was so persistent.

 _"I don't get how this is relevant, Mother..."_

 _"Don't you see, Nea. This is how your birth started!"_

~insertlinebreak~

 **"** Do you have any family?" Katerina asked, they were together again, underneath that tree. Katerina went there again, two days later, and he was there as well. Like before, they began to talk.

"Hm...?"

Katerina giggled, "Family! Like...hm...my Mother and Father don't live with me...but they raised me!"

He looked up, as if he was thinking, "I have twelve family members, including me it makes thirteen."

"That's a big family...a lot of brothers and sisters then?"

"Yes."

Katerina smiled, "I'm an only child, sad right? Is being surrounded by a lot of family fun?"

"Sometimes...we're all in the same business so, we must enjoy each other's company."

"Well, I'd like to meet then, sometime."

Adam looked at her, "One day, you very well may."

 _"I definitely don't get this..."_

 _"You will if you stop attempting to comment!"_

~insertlinebreak~

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned months. Katerina was beginning to spend most of her time with him. She was beginning to understand things about him, such as his relationship with his family. It was so mysterious , he was mysterious. She was so curious, but he never told her anything.

It made her want to know what he was hiding.

Not that she had any right to know,but as _friends_ she deserved it-the truth.

"Hey, Adam?"

"Hm..?"

Katerina looked at him, "We've talked for awhile...and I've realized that you...never really told me anything. I want to know, even if it's scary. Even...even if it's painful to me...I want to know."

He kept staring at her, as if she was insane. She guessed as was, she never thought to ask for something like that. It was something as simple as a story.

Then he smiled, slowly,"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!" So badly...

"Well..." He probably thought better of it, and told her the truth to scare her. It was wrong, for him to be so close to a human. He was supposed to hate them, and he did. He truly, truly did.

What he didn't expect was for her to cry, but still keep smiling. She was scared, she was. Still though...he was still so kind to her. Even though he was what he was.

"I've been addressing you the wrong way, then," Katerina whispered, "My dearest...Earl..."

And then she knew.

 _"..."_

 _"So you're silent now...?"_

 _~Insertlinebreak~_

Katerina stood in the field, playing like a child. Nearly twenty years old, and she was playing. It was almost sweet, to see her so happy.

"Earl! Earl!" She called out, panting, "I'll make sandwiches!" She rushed into her homs.

He stared after her.

 _This can't last..._

 _It can't..._

 _I'm disappearing..._

She came back, and he looked so desperate.

"Katerina..."

"Yes?"

"One day...I won't return."

"Don't be silly, of course you will!" She smiled although she didn't feel happiness. What would she do if he left?

His hand reached out, grasping hers as if he was trying to comfort her. "I want to tell you something..."

"Alright!"

"It's a song..."

 _ **So the boy fell into his slumber...**_

insertlinebreak~

Katerina was running.

She was running and tripping. Tears were blocking her vision. Nothing happened, not really, but she woke up with such fear. Katerina _knew,_ she knew something horrible happened. She knew it was Adam.

Adam...

"To God, no..."

God probably hated her. For accepting him, the Millennium Earl. Even when he told her...she wasn't afraid. No, she was, but she loved _him_ so much more than her faith.

"If my prayers have any value...if you have any mercy..." Let him live.

She paused in front of tree.

Two wails tore through the air.

"No..."

 _"Do you get it now. Nea?"_

~insertlinebreal~

Nea listened to the recording, Tim showing the hologram with his mouth. He sighed, looked at the sleeping Mana beside him. They were brothers...and yet they were not. He loved Mana, he loved him dearly.

But what Katerina revealed...

 _"I see..." Nea whispered, looking away. Katerina was crying harder now. She probably thought that he hated her, for not telling him. No, he didn't hate her, could never hate matter what...she was still his Mothed._

 _"Nea...? Do you...?"_

 _Nea covered her mouth," No never..."_

 _"I-I'm so sorry..."_

 _"It's nothing...just a thing. So we aren't family, we always will regard each other as family." It was the truth, then. Just as he would always call Katerina, Mother, he'd call Mana his brother. It wasn't their blood relation that made him love them; it was the connection they shared. The bond they had...wasn't that what family was all about?_

 _No matter how far..._

 _"No there's more."_

 _Nea blinked, "What?"_

 _Katerina looked at him "What if I told you that one day you would have to kill somebody you love?" She was smiling, but it looked so depressing. It made him hug her, tightly, even as tears went down his cheeks._

Nea sighed,"Well then..."

 _Domyô get it now, Nea?_

He sighed again

"Nope...not at all..."

* * *

 **Icouldn't help the Johnny quote. I read the chapter 223 and cried. Johnny is so sweet...but I'll be using the quote towards the future!**


	12. Bookman and his apprentice

**Hi! Okay...we meet a new character. Well, semi new. Hint; It's NOT an OC. Thank you all for your support. I love you all.**

* * *

Junior

"Hello...? Um...this is Earl Campbell yes...oh...wait what? Um...oh...ah...but how did you-oh... yes but-Okay..."

Mana set the phone down, sighing into his hands, "Oh...Nea and Road are going to kill me..."

 _Unless...!_

Nope, he was so dead.

"Millennie, we got a letter!" Road skipped down the hall, waving a white envelope in the air. She had just returned home from school, and an Akuma had stopped her on the streets of Paris. He had faked offering her sweets(which she took) but he also gave her an envelope. It was addressed to their fake address but the level two had recognized the address.

Mana was in his office, answering a call. He kept speaking sweetly into the phone, promising. It was probably a broker, Road realized. Brokers were very important, especially to their scenario.

If it was a broker. Mana would be angry if she interrupted a call.

Road silently held up the letter, and opened it.

She cleared her throat, "To...the Noah Family? Millennie...?" She looked up in question.

Nobody was supposed to know about them...their family. It was supposed to be a secret.

 _To The Noah Family,_

 _Thank you for agreeing. We will be arriving shortly._

 _-The Bookmen_

Road looked up, glaring angrily at their leader. Of all the people to screw up the scenario...

...Why did it have to be the person who _made_ the scenario?!

"Millennie..." She growled. She rarely got angry with the Earl, but when she did there was Hell to pay. Although he was the first disciple, and therefore the rest's 'master', he always sat like a kicked puppy until she was done scolding him.

Mana quickly hung up the phone, looking very, very nervous, "Now Road..." He laughed shakily, "I can explain."

It was too late, as Road was already running towards another room, "Nea!" She shrieked.

...

"..."

Mana stared after her, "Crap..."

~insertlinebreak~

"Nea, why is the Earl sulking in a corner?" Wisely asked curiously, looking at the Fourteenth. Nea was currently-and quite successfully- ignoring Mana. Road was doing it as well-they actually looked very angry at him.

It made everybody curious.

Nea and Road _never_ ignored Mana. It was something that they just didn't do. They were always talking to Mana, they _were_ closest to him. To see them ignoring him was actually kind of unnerving.

"And why are you two ignoring him?" Claire questioned, "He keeps looking at you two," Actually, he was giving them his 'puppy ' act. It included creepily adorable faces and whimpering.

Although they were doing a great job ignoring him, the other's would do _anything_ to make him stop.

Road glared in the direction of Mana, "Because Millennie screwed up the scenario." She explained bluntly. Mana said something inaudible from his corner, sounding suspiciously like some curses. Nea and Road both ignored him.

"So we've vowed never to speak to him until this mess is sorted out." Nea finished.

Wisely turned to him, "You screwed up your own scenario?" He asked, not at all surprised. To be the center of it all, Mana _was_ scatterbrained. Out of all of them, Mana was the most likely to screw something up. No mattered how much money was put on Road, Mana was the most likely.

"Not exactly...the exorcists don't know a thing..." Mana mumbled dejectedly, "They just sent a letter out of nowhere! It wasn't my fault..."

"It's just a mysterious group," Road supplied, annoyance lacing her tone although it sounded sugary sweet, "Nothing to worry about." She handed the letter to Wisely, hopping off the arm of Nea's chair to play with her dolls.

Wisely sat next to her, "Hm...Bookmen? What a surprise..." He smirked.

 _Never thought they'd observe this side of the war. They must really be desperate to get inside._

If they were...they were in for a rude awakening.

The only people more secretive than the Black Order were the Noah. Their scenario was based off their secrecy. Well, until they débuted.

"You know who they are?"

"The Bookman are a clan of historians, seems they've finally caught wind of this Holy War. So...he did screw up, just not as badly as we thought." They all relaxed.

"Alright Mana, you're in the clear." Nea sighed, and rolled his eyes when Mana excited jumped into the seat with him.

"You're not mad?"

"No, I still am, but you're getting annoying ."

Road stretched out, twirling her hair around her finger. She was actually excited, for these Bookmen. Too many things were happening too slowly.

 _Hmm...who knows? Maybe we'll finally make our debut..._

She thought about it, before bursting into giggles.

~insertlinebreak~

 **-On a train in China-**

"Junior."

"Yes, Bookman?"

Junior looked up from his book, smiling pleasantly. It was practice for his new persona. He has chosen a name for himself the moment his previous name, Lukas, ended. That war had been particularly cringe worthy. Stupid people dying for stupid reasons.

Like ink on a page being washed away by rain. Forgettable, probably already forgotten. Not by him, who's not allowed to forget, but by the war itself. Casualties.

Lukas would've cared about it, Junior didn't. This new persona would have to care a bit _too_ much to get the information needed.

 _Maybe that was a bit mean..._

But then again he didn't care.

 _After all...these Noah aren't as stupid as humans..._

 _Or...maybe they are..._

"This war isn't normal, it involves weapons unusable by the normal man. There are people who fights with powers. Observe it carefully."

Of course it wasn't normal, why would it be? He didn't count gray-skinned evil people using powers to enslave souls as normal. Nor did he count Holy Substance wielding people normal as well.

And yes, this _was_ the only thing he knew about the war.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" He smiled brighter, "This war is bound to be interesting. Wouldn't you agree, Bookman?" His speech was more refined, with a slight hint of an accent-british.

The older man stared at him, "...get rid of that persona, it's annoying."

Junior almosts chokes, pouting.

"What? But I worked so hard on it, and we're too close."

"Fine...but remember your new name. Did you pick it out yet?"

Junior smiled, "Yeah! Allen...Allen Walker."

This record would mark his fifty -sixth name. Allen.

~insertlinebreak~

"Millennie...when can I go pick them up?" Road whined. She was getting restless it seemed. The energy was high in the high. Nea hadn't seen her so anxious in a while, and that was saying something.

If not anxious they were all at least nervous. Mana was sitting beside him, tapping the cover of his book.

"Not yet, not yet, they're going to call us once they get to Paris." Mana soothed holding his arms out for her-although there really wasn't any room of the chair. Mana had squeezed himself in even though Nea told him to move.

Road giggled and settled herself across them, lying her head on Mana's shoulders.

It took a moment for Nea to realize she was shrinking. She kept shrinking until she was a little rag doll in their arms.

"E-eh? You can do this?"

"Yeah! You didn't know?" She replied cheerfully, "I can do anything has long as it's my dream!" The doll her looked creepy...not that Nea would ever say anything. She would get angry-and the only thing worse than a sad Road was an ever resentful one

"How about this, Road? You can take my Timcanpy with you and roam Paris by the docks. Play a game if you'd like, you can guess who the Bookman are. If you lose, you can't bother me for a week."

Road giggled, because she _never_ lost any games? Games were her field, because she practically controlled them, "And if I win?"

"I'll give you a years' worth of candy." He promised and watched her eyes lit up.

"Alright!" He shoved her off of his lap, and watched as she transformed into her human form. She snatched Lero from Mana("Hey I never gave you permission!") and waved goodbye. Blowing a kiss she disappeared, the yellow golem obediently following her.

"...Why did you do that?" Wisely asked.

"What?"

"Send Road after them, that's not setting a very good impression . If she doesn't like them they're pretty much screwed."

Mana glanced, "How so?"

Wisely snorted, "Road has both of you whipped." He stated.

"Does not! How rude, I'm the Millennium Earl and I-" Mana quieted and thought it over, "Eh...Nea...?"

Nea shrugged, "If she kills them it's not a big deal. Besides, I sent Road after them to scare them off...I _hate_ to have humans in only our home."

~insertlinebreak~

"Lord Millennium is in search of you..." Road hummed quietly under her breath as she searched the docks. When she had sweetly asked the people at the docks when the nearest ship would arrive, they replied any minute.

She was less excited to win her game as much as she was excited to meet the Bookmen. The candy sounded nice, and Road knew she'd win. Besides, she knew Nea's real reason-she knew him too well.

"Ne, ne, Tim...did Nea truly think I didn't know what he was doing? Ha ha...I won't scare them away, not yet...not unless..." She giggled manically, "I'm in public, I shouldn't get so happy about this..."

She absolutely hated humans, but Bookmen were bound to be interesting. From what Wisely told her at least-completely detached they were. It almost sounded like they weren't human at all!

"Searching for the heart now...have you heard the news?" She hummed. The song was a gift from Nea for her fourteenth birthday. She loved his song, the Fourteenth's Song, and he gave her one of her own.

Granted it was a bit morbid and creepy...

But wasn't that just perfect for her?!

"Maybe you-eek!" Road was pushed down. She glared up angrily, "What gives? No apology?"

The boy(or girl...she couldn't tell. The hair was long...) in front of her smiled, "Ah, sorry...do you need help? Actually, can you direct us towards a phone?" He held out his hand tenderly, and Road saw right through it. That smile was fake.

She could tell; and so she realized it...

 _Oh...I see..._

Road stood up suspiciously, "Ah, sure. I'm Road. Road Kamelot!" She smiled sweetly, "And you are?"

The man beside the boy said nothing.

"I'm Allen." Allen introduced, "So about that phone..."

Road giggled, "I'm actually surprised...so much more different than I supposed. Oh! Nea owes me candy!"

Allen blinked, confused, "Eh..? Miss Kamelot...?"

"Ah...don't bother. You don't need it, calls to Edo are hard anyway, cost a lot."

"But...what Edo. How did you...?" Allen paused, "Ah...I see...are you here to get us?"

Road sweetly nodded, "That's right!"

"An Akuma?"

"Ew. No. I'm Road as you know, but don't ever compare me to them, those souls. We Noah are so much more than those worthless humans..." She grinned darkly.

She bowed, looking for all the world like a psychopath, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bookman, Bookan Junior. I'm the Noah of Dreams."

Allen touched her hand, but Road recoiled. Her eyes widened in confusion, but she shrugged it off.

 _That's weird that almost felt like..._

~Insertlinebreal~

"Are they to your liking, Road?" Nea asked, handing a lollipop over to her. The rest of her candy was in his room-not to be touched until after dinner.

Road licked it lazily, "Ne...I like Allen..."

"You like a human?"

"We're human, Nea...but I can tell Allen's different. Can't you feel it?"

Nea shrugged, "I can't anything about him. Maybe you just have a crush, Road."


	13. Family

**Hey guys, this chapter was done a week ago so...?I sort of held it hostage...Thank you for the wonderful reviews and favorite and follows. You guys are amazing.**

 **I was surprised that no one was very shocked to see Allen as Bookman Junior. Aw...he's so girl like! And we also got our Panda jiji in the game! Ah...we all know who the other well known characted is don't we? He's not introduced for like five more chapters though.**

 **Y U NO LET ME OWN IT?**

 **p.s. Hallow is making me cry with each passing day...**

* * *

 _Allen Walker._

 _This was his fifty-sixth name._

 _That meant he witnessed fifty-five wars and saw all of them end. He went through a lot of names, and met a lot of people. Junior could name all of those people by heart, if he so wished._

 _But, for some reason, the people before him..._

 _Seemed less like ink, and more like people._

~insertlinebreak~

"Ne, Millennie?"

"What is it Road?" Mana replied, writing something down onto a playing card. He liked to issue missions this way, on playing cards. To him, it looked more mysterious than anything else(because the look was _obviously_ more important than actually completing the missions).

Road was waiting for her mission, as she'd be heading out with Nea and Wisely. It had been awhile since she went on a mission with her uncle and brother, and she was excited. Of course, Mana could tell by the way she was excitedly kicking her legs.

"Allen, can we take him along? Bookman went with Alice, Mary, and Joido to Spain. Can we take Allen?"

Mana blinked, "But...you..."

"But _what,_ Millennie?"

Mana refrained from saying the obvious, _you hate humans..._

"He's interesting you know, Allen I mean. He's interesting because he's really trying really hard. And yet..." Road giggled sweetly, "He's failing with each passing day. How pathetic, right?"

"Failing at what, Road?"

She turned her eyes to him; dark blue since she wasn't in her Noah form. If Mana didn't know Road better, he would say that Road felt pity.

"At tricking us. That persona he's faking...that polite young man persona I mean, it'a really transparent you know...I wonder if he thinks that he really fooled us. Humans can't be that polite, that's just not how humans are built. They put on a show in front of people to hide what they truly are inside,"

Mana looked thoughtfully at the card he was writing on, "greedy, ugly, people."

Road stared at him as if he was crazy: Mana didn't usually finish her statements. He usually let her finish whatever morbid comment she made herself.

"Oi...Millennie...how do you truly feel about the Bookman being here. I mean, you agreed and all(not that you had a choice) but how to you truly feel about it?"

Shrugging, Mana remained silent. He handed the card to Road.

Road blinked at it; _But..._

ROAD WISELY NEA

GERMANY

At this time, Germany was teeming with exorcists. Wisely bumped into some when he went there a week ago. He hadn't killed them, because they didn't know what he was.

Road smirked as she walked out, "Millennie's not as dumb as he makes himself out to be..."

That wasn't their original mission.

He didn't trust the Bookmen, did he?

 _Who really are the Bookman, anyways_

~insertlinebreak~

"Wow, exorcists truly are everywhere." Wisely mused, "I wonder why...?"

"There must be large numbers of innocence here." Nea observed.

Road giggled, "It's a shame though...by the time we're done. Most of them will be dead, either by the Level Threes we've sent out or us." She suddenly grabbed Allen's hand-shocking him because while she was very clingy towards her family, she _never_ really touched him.

"Allen, you've never seen us fight before right? This will be a big thing for you to record then, won't it?"

Allen smiled politely, "Yeah. It's exciting when you put it that way." Though, Allen couldn't guess why they took him along. His master went along with them, but he expected him to record what they do while at rest.

Bookman probably would care that he went along but...it was clear that all Noah hated humans, so why did they ask to bring him? It made him suspicious, like they were trying to do something to him, but he couldn't place it.

That was strange as well...but then again, they weren't normal.

He could read humans so easily because humans were predictable, so much so that he grew to not care for them.

"I'm going to go," Road announced suddenly, taking Wisely's arm, "Actually, Wisely, you're coming with me. We're going to ask around about that lake...bye bye, Allen, Nea!"

Nea gave a short wave, seemingly not caring that they were going off on their own in a different country. Allen thought that was absurd, because with all of his memory, he couldn't for the life of him navigate a new country.

(Actually, in all honesty, he couldn't navigate anything. His sense of direction is horrible, and he gets lost.)

"Should we really let them go by themselves, aren't they a bit young?"

Nea shook his head, "No, not really. How old are you, Allen?"

"I'm fifteen..."

Nea nodded, "It's just as I thought! You're just about Wisely's age, only a year older than Road. You're a year under than Wisely."

"They're that old?!"

Allen tried to picture Road about to enter a high level school, and couldn't. She played with dolls!

"Deregard their appearance. Road's body doesn't age, and Wisely just ages freakishly slow."

Allen laughed quietly, "You sound like you love them a lot."

Nea smiled softly, placing a hand on Allen's head, "And Y'know, Allen..."

"Yeah?"

"You're a bit short for a fifteen year old, aren't you?"

Allen gaped, "What?! N-nea!" He attempted to hit him, but missed as Nea dodged, laughing. Allen eventually gave up.

"Don't we have a job to do as well?"

Nea shrugged, "Not really, not until Road gets back. She usually does all the work like this, like investigation work. She could be a detective if she wanted to."

"What do you do?"

He smirked, "The shattering of course, Mana has this thing where only he can shatter innocence. And since I'm his brother he thinks that I'm some extension of him."

"That's lovely..."

Nea paused again, "Oh, and Allen?"

"Yes?"

"Don't worry about your height, really it's no big deal..."

Allen beamed, "Thanks!"

Nea ruffled his head again, "It completely matches your feminine physique!"

' _# & &#%%...'_

~insertlinebreak~

Road walked with Wisely, swinging their arms, "Allen's really strange , don't you think?" She asked, 'Enough for Millennie to assign us a different mission."

Wisely blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Our original mission was to Portugal, not here. I think Millennie wants to show Allen what this war really is about."

Road couldn't say she exactly agreed with that sentiment. If he planned to scare the younger bookman, than she doubted it would work. Allen...he faked being easily affected by things, but she could tell that he didn't really care.

Out of all wars, their Holy War had the most casualties. Their weapons were the souls of humans, the Order used humans as weapons. It was definitely the most dark. And yet...Allen probably saw more wars then their family started...

"You don't think it'll work?"

 _But I didn't..._

"Stop reading my mind, Wisely, it's annoying! And about that..." Road looked down, "Allen is different from most humans, and that makes him scary but...if we got him to trust us more than his Master...he'd be less willing to betray that trust."

Wisely looked at her, "So, you think that the Earl did this to get Allen on our side?"

"We can't risk it, the fact that the Bookmen might be compatible with innocence...that's be a disaster because then they'd be forced to the Order, and our existence would be revealed." Road mused, before giggling, "It's interesting, when you think about it like that!"

Wisely ruffled her hair, "C'mon, we have a job to do."

"Al~len!"

Allen didn't expect Road to tackle him the moment she and her brother got back. Still, he laughed all the same, and patted her head, "How did it go, Road?"

Road leaned in, looking wary of the Finders roaming the place.

"All of the exorcists are after it! There's a general here too, a girl, but she isn't looking for it. She's just passing through, but all the other exorcists are here because of the large number of Akuma and the innocence."

Nea shrugged, "So we're up against five exorcists?"

"Yeah...and for the duration of the General, her too. Oh, Allen!" Road grinned, "Here's some information on that: Exorcists wield a substance called innocence. It's the only thing that can kill Akuma and us Noah. Generals are the strongest type of exorcists, around them we actually have to tread carefully..."

Allen blinked, _So they have a weakness...?_

"This will be your first time seeing us capture innocence so...be prepared.". Road pointed towards the forest, "We found the river over there, it was glowing green when we left it, but it hurt when I touched it." She pulled back her sleeve to reveal an almost faded burn.

"You could've gotten hurt, Road. Stop using your true body."

Allen made a note to ask about that.

Road giggled, "Right, right."

She skipped in the direction of the place, "Let's go!"

Allen stared after her, not even flinching when Nea shook him. Road was strange...they all were strange...

"Don't worry about her, she's insane, but she's affectionate towards the people she loves."

"Right..."

~insertlinebreak~

The river was glowing green when they arrived, but before they could get near it, they heard noises. Somebody was coming, and from the Noah's grins, they were exorcists.

"Come here, Allen. Stand by us..." Nea pulled Allen closer, "Exorcists could kill you, if they get paranoid. "

Allen was about to move, but couldn't as the exorcists stormed in. There were at least six, with finders following.

Their eyes widened at the sight of them ,"N-no way! Humans?!" One gasped, and Road giggled maliciously.

"Ooh~looks like you've run into some bad luck, exorcists? Tell you what, if you can defeat my brother and I, we'll give you the innocence!"

Her eyes flashed gold, "After all, don't you want to beat the Earl's sacred family?"

And the world fell apart.

Come to think of it, Allen saw a lot that day...but it didn't change how he felt. He saw them all kill, but he could only remember their warm smiles, and their laughter.

~insertlinebreak~

Coming home seemed normal, like they were just returning from a trip. It was a different feeling, to be welcomed home.

Now they were all lounging in the common room, and Allen was helping Road with her homework.

She giggled, looking at him.

"Y'know what Allen?"

Allen smiled at her, "Yes, Road?"

"You're older than me, but younger than Wisely right?"

"I guess..."

"And you know how Wisely is counted as my older brother?"

"Yeah..."

Road giggled, twirling around, "You could pass for my older sister!" She exclaimed, and Joido and Nea burst out in laughter.

"I guess this makes you the middle child! Welcome to the family," Joido was clearly joking, but the atmosphere changed.

~Insertlinebreak~

And you know what?

From that day on, everybody just called Allen their nephew/brother/cousin. Well except Road, but she _did_ keep saying that Allen was precious to her. Eventually, Mana began sending him to school as well-as a cousin.

It was as if...

It was just like he was part of the family.

Somehow...it hurt. He could easily say it was a game but...being sent to school...helping somebody with homework...getting teased...

It was hard to not care for them.

Allen looked down, 'I've screwed up, haven't I?'

~insertlinebreak~

 _I messed up somewhere..._

 _When did they stop being ink and become human?_


	14. The Secret of The Earl

**_Hi. So I've been up for thirty two hours straight. It's my own fault, I didn't feel like sleeping. But I am tired. I wanted to finish this yesterday buuuut_...I sort of didn't. Did anybody see the newest epi of DGM HALLOW? I cried, very hard, at the sound of Alma. The way he said 'Happy Birthday' was different from how he said it in my head.**

 **I didn't get to see Alma slip on ice, bummer. It was my favorite moment of the manga. And just saying-Kanda's child voice is sooo deep. Like, I imgagined him sounding _really_ girlish. Instead, he sounded like he was fifteen. Either way, it was still really sad. I can't wait for the real fighting to start next episode when Alma actually awakens.**

 **And Because I got to hear it in sound: "You're Allwn! Allen Walker! Geesh, do you get lost even in here?!" Road is love. Road is life.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own it.**

 **Read and Review!**

* * *

 _When we were younger, we used to have the same nightmares. We never told Mother about it because we were always so embarrassed about them._

 _When we turned ten, Nea made our recurring nightmare into a joke. At Christmas, he gifted me a book. The book told our nightmare in greater detail. At the end of the book was that special song._

 _I laughed at it, and after that we never had the dream again._

 _I eventually forgot about it, that dream._

 _Until I had it again, nearly ten years later._

 _~insertlinebreal~_

 **-The evening of Toraido's awakening-**

That night had been fun. Mana hadn't been that happy in a long time. There had been so much laughing, singing, dancing...and the whole family was finally together! For the first time...he felt accomplished as the Earl.

Making thousands of Akuma, defeating exorcist after exorcist...it wasn't really enough. He wanted the _entire_ family with him.

He finally got to see the whole family of fourteen all together. He was used to just being with Road, Wisely, Joido, Lucy, and Nea. Mana was beginning to get worried that it'd take years for the others to reawaken. It took some time, but they got their happy ending

That night, after saying goodnight to everybody(new and old) he went to sleep. He wanted to speak to Nea, but he felt tired for some reason. Not like he wanted to go to sleep, but as if he'd pass out if he didn't.

That night...

He had a nightmare.

 _One, who became two._

 _One who devoured the other._

 _For the one who's endured 7000 years-_

That's when Mana sat up, looking terrified.

"Wow…" He breathed, "It's been awhile since that happened…" It was really surprising, when he thought about. It was almost comical, and he would've laughed and went to read _that_ book. When they moved out of their home, it was one of the only things that he took with him. It would've made the situation funny..

If it wasn't for the little girl in his room.

"Millennie are you okay?"

To make matters worse, Road had been with him, and she wasn't taking 'it's nothing' for an answer. She seemed to always get like this when worried.

Mana smiled at her, "Hey...can you keep a secret?" He didn't want to worry Nea with it, especially since the ark needed so much fixing and he was so tired.

"I'm getting tired of people asking me that…" Road growled.

Blinking, Mana reached out for her, "What?" He managed to brush her cheek.

Road suddenly recoiled, "It's nothing. Here, I'll take a look inside your dreams, just relax." She didn't exactly give him a choice, because suddenly she was inside his mind. He fell back at the same time she did.

Whatever Road found, it scared her. The only thing she said was to only tell her or Wisely if he had another dream.

Mana tried not to be nervous.

~insertlinebreak~

 **-Two weeks later-**

Not long after that, Mana collapsed at a meeting. It was frightening to all that was there. It was really unexpected as well. It was an important meeting as well, for a ball. In the middle of it, Mana suddenly passed out.

"Lord Campbell?! Lord Campbell!"

One of the younger woman mentioned Nea off handedly, wishing he was there. At the mention of Nea's name, Mana suddenly fainted. That wouldn't have been too bad-as Mana was strange and did and said strange things from time to time. However, he was screaming from the pain.

Nea was who they would normally called in to get Mana, but he was away on a mission. It was Joido who eventually had to come get him. When he arrived Mana quit screaming and thrashing, but was just lying there unconscious.

They had no choice but to call in Road and Wisely, pulling them out of school.

Although the two youngest looked shaken up, they insisted that they found nothing. It was hard to tell whether or not the two were lying...

"It's fatigue," Road explained.

"He hasn't been sleeping well." Wisely continued.

Mana claimed he had been sleeping just fine when he woke up, but nobody believed him. He pleaded with the Noah not to tell Nea about it, he didn't want to worry him. Road and Wisely insisted as well.

He kept collapsing at meetings after that, but couldn't piece it together.

 _Two who was originally one._

~insertlinebreak~

 **-A month later-**

Mana slammed the door to his room, trying not to faint or scream. He held his head, his long hair in his face. He would've laughed at his reflection in his mirror; he looked insane. It was fitting though, because those damned exorcists always claimed he was insane.

He would've laughed at his joke, if he wasn't in so much pain.

The pain was so great...what started it this time?

Oh...that's right…

At least, this time it wasn't Nea who set it off(thank goodness). He was talking to Alice and Mary, who didn't know the story behind their birth. He was explaining it to them, like he was telling a children's story.

" _Katerina, our gentle mother, met our father the former Millennium Earl twenty years ago. They fell in love, and wed. In the end, Father gave up his life and power to bestow it upon us-Nea and Mana. He did not know we were twins so it ended up splitting."_

That was when the first pain started. He ignored though, believing it to be a headache. It was only when Mary asked what made them fall in love that it happened.

 _What remained on that day was…_

 _For Katerina and he who endured seven thousand years…_

Mana suddenly fell over from the pain, and Alice screamed for Nea. Nea, however, happened to be in the ark fixing the gates.

Road came instead and ordered him to bed, then she ran to Wisely. They talked in secret for a while, before announcing that Mana was still tired. Everybody believed them(because they were the youngest and the least likely to lie) but Mana was suspicious.

He wasn't stupid.

They were hiding something, Road and Wisely, he was sure of it. They kept acting like if he figured out what was happening, something horrible would happen. He never saw them that scared before. Road was always so mischievous...and Wisely so arrogant...to see them like that...

Although he couldn't help but wonder. He and Nea were twins, and they shared a power right?

It seemed that all the dreams were about him and Nea, so...was Nea having the same dreams as well?

It made sense, as they were the Earl and the anomaly...but…

Nea wasn't as bad of a brother as Mana was. He would come to him immediately, right? Mana was being so secretive, but at least it was for a good reason. Nea had a lot on his plate already…

Could he be…?

Mana laughed, "Yeah right...he's been acting weird but, it's probably because I'm acting so strangely…"

 _All that's left to do is figure out what the hell is going on…_

~insertlinebreak~

 **-Three months later-**

Mana suddenly sat up, breathing heavily. A figure beside him stirred and then sat up as well.

"Millennie?" Of course, it was their Dreams; she never seemed to be in her own room.

"Honestly Road, do you not go to your own room?"

She giggled, "Nope! I'm usually with you, Nea, or Wisely. My room is scary." She explained gently, as if it was his fault.

"It's your own fault! Nea-" He winced, "decorated it nicely! You destroyed it beyond repair."

Pouting Road crossed her arms, "I did not!"

"Did too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Are you really going to change the subject like this, Millennie?" Road pointed out, pouting in worry. If this kept up, she'd have to give in and finally tell Nea. If that happened, everything they worked towards would be destroyed.

Mana went silent, "...Was it that obvious?" He always was really bad at lying...Nea always said that...

Road tried to smile, "A little...do you want me to take a look again?" She offered but nearly shrieked when he fell back on the bed, "Millennie?"

"No! I want it to stop! These nightmares are getting ridiculous Road." Mana grabbed her by her shoulders, "What's. Happening." He leaned in closer, looking serious.

Road gulped, knowing that she'd have to do anything he ordered her to. That was the price of him being their 'Master,' the Millennium Earl. It was different with Nea, who she obeyed because she loved.

No matter how air headed Mana acted, he still was her Master. She was obliged to obey any command he gave her. Even if it was to tell her secret-but that didn't mean she couldn't stretch the truth!

"Tell. Me. Now."

She laughed nervously, "Ha...ha...about that…" She giggled, "...um...these nightmares aren't that bad really. Don't worry about it, they'll end."

 _At least...Wisely and I hope so..._

Mana glared, "I hope so, I can't handle this anymore." He held his head, "It's my duty as Adam to cast upon the Three Days of Darkness. How can I do that if I keep fainting and having strange dreams?"

Road hugged him, "Didn't Nea tell you not to push yourself too hard? We'll be together always, right?"

"..."

"Right?" Road pressed.

"...Right…" He smiled, "Now, how about we make cookies? I'm starving!"

Beaming, Road jumped up, "Okay! I'll go wake up Alice and Mary!" She raced out the room.

 _These feelings, it's not normal…_

 _I could never…_

 _...hate Nea…_

~insertlinebreak~

"Wisely…"

Road sounded nervous, so nervous. She sat on his bed, eating one of her millions of lollipops. A doll was in her lap, but she didn't play with it.

"We'll figure it out…" He tried to soothe his little sister, but she shook her head.

"I'm scared…" It was the first time Road admitted it, since that day.

"For yourself?"

"No, stupid, for them!"

 _Who else?_

Wisely patted her head, "It'll be okay, I promise."

Road bit her lip, "You better hope so...Wisely I'll hate you if this turns out badly." And she meant it.


	15. Across A Thousand Years

**This chapter isn't of the best quality. You see...it wasn't supposed to exist. I hit major writer's block and tried** _ **everything**_ **to get it to go away. Please excuse me if this chapter is not to your liking. I'm fixing to go back and change some chapters anyway.**

 **Anyway, for your benefit this chapter doesn't hold nothing. We have a plot point in here.**

 **Disclaimer: Y U NO LET ME OWN IT HOSHINO-SAMA?**

* * *

" _On the day the silver eyes trembled_

 _The shining you was born_

 _Across thousand of years,_

 _Let those prayers return to us…"_

* * *

 _Despite it all, Nea tried to smile, "..."_

 _It hurt._

 _It hurt to do this, to lose himself to this. Everything had to be lies, because he hadn't known it would hurt this much._

 _[_ _ **I'm sorry]**_

 _He tried to smile, even as tears fell. It'd be better after this, this was all for the better. It was a foolish thought anyway...so he tried to laugh. Somehow, this would all work out. That's how things worked right?_

 _ **[Please forgive me]**_

 _Turning towards it, he reached out his hand, "I'll keep walking…"_

 _ **[Please don't hate me]**_

~insertlinebreak~

"Ah~it's such a nice day out, isn't it Nea?" Mana beamed, his face turning to the sun, "We're lucky to have picked a good day to spend time together!" Nea smiled at his back. Mana looked just like a child again, smiling at the sky.

It must've made Mana happy, because this was the first time Nea suggested that they go out together. It had certainly been a long time since they did. Every time they went out, they always took Road or Wisely with him.

It hadn't always been that way, though.

When they were sixteen, they made trips out of going to town every weekend. That was fun, they always had fun during those trips. The trips continued until their awakening, in which they stopped to settle down with their family.

So, that made this the first time they were truly spending time together in two(almost three!) years. When Nea thought about it, that made him happy as well. They were nearing twenty-one, and their family was complete.

The Heart couldn't hide forever...and sooner or later the exorcists would give up against the Earl and his Akuma. Their win was basically cemented.

"Well, what do you want to do?" Nea asked, stepped up. Mana clasped his hand tightly, smiling brightly at him. Mana looked so tired, and he supposed he had every right to be, as the Earl.

"As long as we're together, I don't care what we do or where we go."

"You've been saying that since we were children, you idiot."

"But it's true!" Mana insisted, "I'll follow you anywhere! Even after the three days of darkness, I'll go wherever you go."

Nea hit him over the hit, although he was smiling, "Shut up with that. _Now,_ where do you want to go?"

Mana pouted and turned away, "Sorry I just felt like musing for a moment…" Nea squeezed his hand, staring at their hands with a strained smile, "Oi, just watch me, okay?"

He could tell that Mana was just going to act like a small child the whole day, so he just nodded. "What will you do? Play, like a child?" Even as he said it, he was smiling at him.

Mana grinned, "Would that be childish of me?"

"Very."

"Okie dokie!" Mana rushed off to throw himself in the middle of the field of flowers that they stood in front of. He stood there laughing and twirling.

"Nea! Look at me! Watch me!" Mana fell back into the flowers laughing.

It almost reminded Nea of…

 _["Earl! Earl! Look at me!"]_

Mana kept playing, until the time that they spent started bleeding together. Nea couldn't tell if he had been watching his twin brother play for minutes or for hours. It was nice though, to see him to happy and carefree.

...When was the last time he saw him like that?

 _["Earl! Earl! Can you see me?"]_

He shook his head again, calling out, "Stop before you hurt yourself!"

"No I-Ouch! Ouch! Ow! I got stuck with a random thorn. Ne~a it hurts!"

"Now, who's fault is that?"

Nea looked up, seeing that the sun was setting, "Oi, let's go back before Road gets worried and searches for us."

~insertlinebreak~

"Did you enjoy your time out?" Road asked. She was sitting at the table doing homework-or rather Allen was forcing her to do her homework. Nea was particularly glad that Allen was there because the only person Road loved more than Nea was Allen.

As long as Allen kept going to school with her and entertaining her, Nea would be left alone.

"Our great master played in flowers like a child the whole time." Nea supplied, rolling his eyes. He sat at the piano and like always began to play. He wasn't all that surprised when nearly everybody in the room started to hum along. The song was played so many time he was sure that the _AKUMA_ knew the songs' lyrics.

"Is that why he smells like bad women's perfume?" Allen asked, barely looking up, Road giggled in response. Mana made an indignant sound, reaching out to hit Allen. Allen moved out the way just in time for him to instead get Road.

"Pretty much, yeah." Nea let Mana hit him, smirking.

Suddenly Nea froze-it was like everything stopped for him.

 _Ba...thump…_

His eyes widened…he tried to turn towards his brother, but he was like statue.

 _Ba...thump…_

Something was calling out for him, but the voice was unfamiliar.

 _Ba...thump…._

He heard several other voices calling for him. It was his family, but he couldn't even feel them crowd around him. He felt so dizzy and empty. Like he wasn't inside of his body. What was happening...?

" _Nea answer me please!"_

Mana sounded like he was crying.

There was darkness closing in.

Even as they tried to get him to respond, Nea suddenly collapsed.

~insertlinebreak~

"Hey...Road?" Wisely sat on the edge of her bed. Road's eyes were red and puffy-she had been crying. She was awfully worried, Wisely noted. She was always so worried for Nea and Mana in situations like these.

"Did you get into Nea's mind?"

Wisely shook his head, "I'm being blocked off."

"I can't get into his dreams either…" Road smiled, "Does our promise still hold?" She knew the answer.

"..."

"...I see."

~insertlinebreak~

 _Nea was standing in darkness, unable to see anything._

" _Where am I?"_

 _Everything was aching, like it was on fire. At the same time, he felt cold. Nea supposed that this was his mind, it had to be. He knew better than to think that Road trapped him in her dream world or something else._

" _...Who are you?" There was something in the distance. It kept getting closer and closer. He could make out a masculine figure, and then a long brown coat._

 _ **Ba...thump…**_

 _Nea smiled-although it was more dark and bitter than he could imagine, "Oh...I see…"_

 _The figure reached out for him._

" _ **You're me."**_

* * *

 **Le gasp! Ha XD. Anyway, thank you for reading. The next(planned) chapter is either going to be titled Madness or Mad Puppet depending on how angsty I feel that day. Can anyone guess what this revelation means?**


	16. Cutting Ties

**Heya! So this chapter _was_ planned. It was formerly Mad Puppet but I changed the name to...cutting ties. Ha! Anyway, so..this is where actual shit hits the fan. Before anybody points it out; this chapter is **_intentially_ **poorly written. My sister suggested it because she thought that the mysterious figure wasn't supposed to be as coherent as I made it...so I rewrote the whole chapter.**

* * *

 _"And so the boy fell asleep_

 _Like the embers shining the the flames_

 _Once...twice..."_

* * *

" _Oh I see…"_

 _The figure reached out for him._

" _ **You're me…"**_

~insertlinebreak~

Two days later, Nea still hadn't woken up.

He was still breathing-it was almost like he was asleep. They were all so, so worried. This was the first time something like this really happened. Mana collapsed, once, but he woke up hours later.

Nea was asleep for forty-eight hours. It was terrifying. He had never been this scared before-it was hard to cope.

 _Just breathe…_

 _...Breathe..._

Mana just couldn't take it.

"...Nea...please…" He knelt at the edge of Nea's bed. Mana knew he must look insane-he hadn't slept since Nea collapsed. He was tired, but too afraid to sleep. He really wanted to be there when Nea first woke up, at least to comfort him.

He tried not to panic, because that'd make everything worse-but it was hard.

 _He was so worried-he felt so many regrets suddenly: They shouldn't of kept so many secrets._

After this...he'd fix that.

Even though he was scared, he tried to smile, "Y'know...we have to stop doing this to each other...alright? We've been worrying each other for a while haven't we…?" He brushed Nea's hair from his face, "After this, we should go on a vacation, just the two of us! Alright? So…" He looked so desperate.

He gripped Nea's shoulders, tears falling, "...please...wake up…"

 _Just breathe…_

 _...He can't die from this, right?_

There was no answer, not that Mana expected one. He laughed hollowly, "I wonder what you're dreaming about…? Is it so secretive that even Road can't break through.? Well then…" He stood up, preparing to walk out.

He should tend to the rest of his family-they were taking it hard as well, "I'll be back soon, okay? I'm going to try to get the children(and probably the rest of them) to eat. Okay…?"

There was silence-but Mana couldn't help but wish that Nea would answer him. Mana smiled sadly, standing at the doorway.

"Well, wake up soon…"

He walked out.

~insertlinebreak~

 **-Nea's mind-**

It took Nea's form.

It wasn't speaking,Nea supposed that it wouldn't. The figure was almost incomplete in a way. There were barely any features on it's face, and it was like a blur. He felt connected to it in a way, and that scared him.

This feeling...what was it?

Nea wouldn't deny that he was afraid-he had every right to be. Whatever it was, it made him faint. Mana was probably worried sick and everybody else would be as well.

Yet something connected him to it, and it felt warm-comforting.

The figure was reaching out for him, asking for him to take his hand. Nea wasn't sure what would happen if he took it-would he die?

Was he already dead?

Was he going insane? It wouldn't be too much of a surprise, when he thought about it. When he really thought about it, suppressing his Noah so much really would lead to insanity, wouldn't it?

 _Wait…_

Nea looked up, wide eyed at the figure, "You're not me…" He whispered, "No…"

 _Ha...ha...I really should've known from the start…_

"You're my Noah, right?" Nea smiled brightly(bitterly) and held out his hand, "I should have known!"

The Noah of Destruction-the Fourteenth's said Noah. Except, that Noah didn't exist-just like he wasn't supposed to. There was no Noah of Destruction.

Nea grabbed the figure's hand firmly, dragging it forward. Its' shadowy hands reached out, cupping Nea's face. He must've looked insane, but he was beyond caring.

"Or rather...my _half_ of _our_ Noah!" Nea was laughing now, because it was all too much. He went to such great lengths to protect Mana, to make sure that they never left each other and yet….

...was that not enough?!

The figure looked directly into Nea's eyes-it had strange eyes.

 _[The Earl and Katerina talking]_

It was attempting to communicate with him. It used pictures-it couldn't speak.

 _[Nea and Mana playing; Katerina watching]_

Nea tried to understand. It was hard, but he wanted to understand what was happening. It was clear that it was going to tell him, eventually.

He didn't understand much, not yet.

 _[Nea and Mana-holding hands in their Noah form. The other Noah surrounding them.]_

He and Mana were essentially the center of it all-the scenario, and the war.

 _[Nea and Mana fighting]_

Nea's eyes widening; he finally began to understand. He shook his head slowly, trying not to.

 _[Mana being devoured-their Noah joining. One Earl.]_

Nea attempted to recoil, "No! That's not…" His voice died off, his eyes burning. If there was one thing Nea refused to do, it was cry. Between he and Mana-Mana cried enough for the both of them. Tears weren't needed-the situation wasn't that bad.

...He could deal with this…

"...please, no…"

The figure wasn't giving in, it kept replaying those images over and over. It looked intent, it wanted Nea to accept.

 _...Is this…_

 _...our...fate…?_

 _Mana and I...are we fated to fight…?_

Nea looked down, his bangs covering his eyes. Hidden, tears dripped down.

"...I see then...I can't escape it, can I?"

The figure stepped back, and held out it's hand. It wanted confirmation-it wanted acceptance. Did Nea accept it-would he accept it.

He didn't want to. To accept it meant to give up, but he couldn't take it any longer. The dreams, the feelings, this...hatred...he didn't want it. He'd rather die(or kill Mana) than hate him forever.

Nea promised to always love Mana, right? So, wasn't that ending better than the others? Wasn't one of them dying better than them hating each other?

 _And my Noah…_

It screamed to be joined together with Mana's-to be whole. It wasn't whole, was it? Unlike the rest, they had a split Noah. It was almost like Alice and Mary-their bonds-except it wasn't.

Alice and Mary had two separate Noah that resonated as one when they joined together. If they thought at the same time, their thoughts became reality. That was two separate Noah-but one memory.

Nea and Mana…

...they had one Noah, that split.

The Noah of destruction didn't exist-only the true thirteen did.

Despite it all, Nea tried to smile, "..."

It hurt.

It hurt to do this, to lose himself to this. Everything had to be lies, because he hadn't known it would hurt this much.

 _I'm sorry_

He tried to smile, even as tears fell. It'd be better after this, this was all for the better. It was a foolish thought anyway(after all, happy ending didn't exist for the damned,right?) so he tried to laugh. Somehow, this would all work out. That's how things worked right?

 _Please forgive me_

Turning towards it, he reached out his hand, "I'll keep walking…"

 _Please don't hate me_

Their hands touched;

 _I'm sorry, but I'm cutting ties with you, my dearest._

~insertlinebreak~

That night, Nea woke up. Everybody was overjoyed-Mana especially. He latched onto Nea crying and hitting him. Nea went rigid, but tried to smile anyway.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, do you understand?!" He exclaimed, "That's an order as the Earl!"

"Fine, fine…I'm sorry, Earl."

The rest of the Noah agreed, and Nea was forced to spend the rest of the night with them. It was funny, because nobody noticed anything strange.

...Nea never called Mana 'Earl' before, did he?


	17. The Exorcists

**So...two plotlines in this chapter. One is pretty lighthearted(but has a kind of dark undertone to me...probably not to you…) and the other is the actual main plotlines. I couldn't figure out a way to get this chapter to work with me, so this is what I came up with to keep the chapter going.**

 **One thing: Hallow From The Other Side! I can't get Hallow out my head.**

 **I wrote half of this chapter listening to Kissing The Joined Hands. T_T Somebody stop me.**

* * *

 _What rise up are my beloved profiles_

 _What expands are thousands of_

 _Dreams….dreams…_

* * *

" _N-Nea?!"_

 _ **[I will never abandon you...never…]**_ _._

" _Would you...cry…?"_

 _ **[Never...don't ever think that I will…]**_

" _I d-don't…understand..."_

 _ **[I'll be with you forever]**_ _._

" _Yeah, I don't either…"_

 _ **[So...keep walking my dearest…]**_

 _ **~insertlinebreak~**_

They stepped off the train. One was a man was long, fiery hair. He wore the exorcist uniform, a gun strapped at his hip.

The other was a lady with brown hair, smiling at the sky. Her arms outstretched she turned to beam at him. Her exorcist uniform was similar-but gold and black.

"Cross, aren't you happy-we're in Paris!"

"On a mission." Cross finished dryly, "Isn't that right, General?"

The general smiled tenderly at him, "but they sent us together!" She turned to him, blinking innocently at him, "Right?"

"Whatever."

~insertlinebreak~

Things...were finally returning to normal. At least Nea _thought_ things were returning to normal: everything had been so chaotic he had forgotten what normal was. Everything seemed to be dying down at least.

The family was less tense, and Mana was smiling more now. They were trying to forget now, for the better. And Nea?

He was trying...he really was. It was hard not to remember the darkness of his mind and his broken Noah.

Everything was okay now...for now at least…

 _Heh...who would've thought that I would've missed my family's antics…_

Nea remained silent at the breakfast table, listening to the mindless chatter. This was the first time in awhile that the whole fourteen Noah ate breakfast together. The children usually ate earlier because they had school-the rest got up late.

Since everybody had missions the day before, Mana wanted them all to rest. So everybody was together today-it was funny.

Even with little resemblance, they still acted so much like a family.

Mana was arguing with several of the Noah over _some_ stupid topic that Nea couldn't care less about but he looked happy. He had been so stressed and tired lately that Nea was sure he'd pass out eventually...he looked better now.

New was glad for that-even after everything, he still loved him dearly.

Mana caught Nea's eyes-he smiled at him tenderly. Nea smiled back gently(guiltily).

Nea swallowed some of his tea, "I'll be gone for most of the day, Earl." He saw Mana pout-probably because he didn't call him Mana. Mana didn't like it when Nea was formal with him, he liked to be brothers.

 _[Which, in the most horrible sense, they weren't]_

Nea tried to smile through the thought, and tried not let it show.

"Why?!" Road interrupted, "We just got back from missions…!" She had been looking forward to all of them being together, Nea knew.

Nea ruffled her hair, "I'm sorry niece, I'll spend more time with you and the family later on in the week, I promise." He hooked pinky's with her in hopes of calming her before she threw a tantrum.

"But why?" Mana pressed.

 _Because I need to get out of the house_

Nea winked, "I have errands to run...are you worried about me, Mana?" He teased.

"I always worry for you…"

 _I wish I knew why..._

"Why is that? Because we are your sacrificial lambs?" With such a serious topic brought up, the rest of the Noah sat up straighter. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw most of them smirking and eyeing the Earl.

Mana pouted-something darker in his eyes, "No!" His voice sounded darker, "No matter how true that is…" he suddenly smiled again, "I worry because I love you!"

Alice giggled from across the table, "Aw...we thought we'd get something business like from you, Earl…"

"Yeah, you're such a pain…" Mary agreed and the rest of the Noah burst into laughter. Mana was glaring playfully at Nea-because Nea knew that he didn't mind business being brought up.

Nea laughed when Mana slapped on on the shoulder, "Oh you're so annoying when you get like this," his eyes softened, "please get back safely-avoid the exorcists."

"Right, right...bye…let's go, Tim."

He disappeared through the ark without another word, waving lazily. Timcanpy(who was previously sitting on Road's head, eating half of her plate) disappeared flew to catch up, just as the ark closed.

The table was silent following.

"Do...you think Nea's all healed after…?" Mana let his voice fall. He didn't mean to worry, he couldn't help it. Nea had been acting so strangely.

It was Road who answered, her place as the firstborn recognized, "Nea's still recovering I think...let's give him time…" Mana still looked sad.

Road looked towards Mana, "Don't we have some planning to do, anyway?" They watched as Mana brightened. Everybody smiled as well-except Allen, he was too confused.

After a moment of whispering from Road, Allen clapped his hands, "Cool, I'll help!" He'd probably catch hell from Bookman later on, but he'd deal with that later.

"Oh...that's right…" He stood up, "let's start."

~insertlinebreak~

Nea hadn't really had errands to run, that was a lie. He had nothing to do, but he couldn't stand to sit inside of Edo any longer.

It was suffocating, and Nea couldn't take the voices. They were relentless...he couldn't bear it. They were much quieter outside of Edo, where much less AKUMA swarmed.

It was probably his fault, he gave in so easily. So, his punishment was being pestered every moment of the day.

"Where should we go, Tim?" Nea looked up curiously, "Should we just walk? I like Paris this time of year…" He looked around-children were playing. It looked peaceful and happy.

He liked the season around that time-he and Mana both. Something about it just made them happy.

 _Huh...it's getting to be around that time…_

Nea looked back up at his partner, "Do you want to come with me to look? If I know him, he'll try to beat me to it by doing it today…"

He also liked this time of the year because of _this,_ because he always got to see Mana so happy. That was always a highlight, and he supposed it would be even now.

Timcanpy bounced around-Nea took that as a yes.

"Alright...and stay hidden. I'm not coming after you if you get eaten by a cat this time." Nea smiled brightly, because that was a lie. He always went after Timcanpy if the little golem was foolish and reckless enough to get eaten.

The stores this time of were always packed for reasons Nea never understood. Especially the stores he liked(all considering, he liked expensive clothes-despite the fact that he wore the same brown jacket, white shirt, black neck tie, and black pants all the time) so it always took him forever to shop.

"I don't know what to get…" Nea sighed, "There's so much stuff!" He smiled brightly at the store clerk, who was walking towards him.

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"I'm looking for something…" Nea smiled apologetically, "But I don't know what...I'm sorry…"

"No! It's fine, really! Do you mind if I go over to that couple over there? Maybe I'll get some ideas for you from them." He followed her finger to a couple huddled by a green ring. His eye's widened.

 _How didn't I know…_

Nea's eyes narrowed: exorcists.

And yet...he didn't feel as bloodthirsty as he normally would. There was something about them, something that he couldn't place.

They were whispering, the man sounded angry-gruff.

The girl sounded pleading.

Nea caught the clerk's hand before she could move towards them, "I'll talk to them...you should help that little girl...they might give me some ideas." The girl looked startled, but nodded slowly.

He walked towards the exorcists, "Hello, can I help you?" He asked.

The girl smiled gently at his arrival: the man narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Nea focused more on the girl-her innocence rate was 100 percent. She was a general and therefore Nea would have to tread carefully.

She had the capability of killing him, should she actually try.

"Hi, I'm Maria and this is my partner Cross. We're looking for this legend."

"Paris has many legends," Nea agreed and bowed, "Nea D. Campbell. Pleasure to meet you…and this legend is?"

He was surprised that Mana hadn't sent them out of new missions. If new innocence was already popping up, then shouldn't they try to get it?

Lately, the Order has been reaching the innocence more than they have. Even Nea's last mission was a fail. (Well, to be fair, there were _two_ generals and their apprentices. Even Nea wasn't _that_ stupid.)

"A ring that grants wishes for all that wears it. Like a genie!" She beamed and she almost reminded him of Mana, "Are you looking for anything?"

Nea nodded, "A gift for my brother, we have something important coming out. He'll probably try to surprise me so I'm beating him to it…"

"That's so sweet! Cross and I will help, right Cross?"

The man looked absolutely indifferent, "Like hell I-"

"I'll buy you you three bottles of the finest wine…" Maria promised, and across froze. When Cross wasn't looking she winked at Nea and mimicked drinking a glass. Nea caught on immediately.

"I'll chip in as well, it's the least I can do."

Cross looked like he didn't want to agree but went silent. The look in his eyes said that he didn't trust Nea and Nea smirked back.

 _Smart boy, exorcist._

He'll get the innocence and kill-

 _ **Ba...Thump….**_

 _W-what?_

 _ **Ba-Thump….**_

 _[His Noah reaching out for them-them clasping hands.]_

 _[Acceptance]_

Nea suddenly came to: Or not. No killing was good too.

"Well, let's go."

~insertlinebreak~

"Hey, Cross do you feel that…?"

Nea was walking ahead of them.

"You too?"

"An AKUMA?"

Cross's eyes trained on him, thinking for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"I don't think so…"

* * *

 **EEEEWWWW! I hate this chapter! Boo, it wouldn't turn out well. I rewrote it so many times but it wouldn't turn out well so I gave up. Poo. The chapter was getting a bit long so I cut it in two. So...the light hearted plot line will continue as well.**

 **Does anybody want more lighthearted stuff? Like, some Omakes or somethings. I think just beating you over the head with Nea's feelings is getting tiring.**


	18. Grave of Maria

**Allen made me rewrite the whole chapter. He's too thoughtful, and rewatching it made me do this. I sowwy. Btw: I hate this chapter**

* * *

 _Across a...thosuand..._

 _...years..._

* * *

They were walking slightly behind him. Nea supposes it was because they didn't want to hear them talking. It was all too easy to hear them, though. Maria talked too loudly and Cross didn't give a damn either way.

It was quite sad really, that they didn't trust him. Not that they should, because he was what he was. They didn't even know that though, not yet.

 _Is that what the Order turns exorcists into?_

Nea turned around suddenly, "So, where do you want to go? I never heard of the legend, but it must be in at least _one_ of the jewelry stores here!" He smiled brightly throwing them guard.

"AKUMA don't really smile like that...do they?" Maria whispered, but she tried to smile, "Anywhere...we really came here suddenly." She cleared her throat, "Do you have any idea what your brother likes?"

"I know Mana like the back of my hand, we're twin brothers after all! He likes paintings, flowers, music…" Nea smiled tenderly, "I've gotten him so many gifts already that I don't know what I haven't gotten him."

"You sound like you love him a lot." Maria observed calmly, smiling sweetly, "I wish had siblings."

Nea laughed, "Trust me, you don't. I have a very large family of fourteen, and they're always so noisy."

"But that's the best part of family!" Maria exclaimed, "The world is always so silent. Silence is quiet and sad...but when laughter and noise fills it, doesn't it become more bearable?" She closed her eyes, "At least...that's how I see it…"

There was silence.

Maria….truly was like Mana. They were both so hopeful for the future, they always had so much hope. People like them, Maria and Mana, were much too pure for the world.

Nea stared, "...right…"

"Maria, you've creeped him out." Cross nudged her.

"No...that's not it...I think you and my brother would get along, Miss Maria."

Maria smiled brightly, "Really? I would love to meet him."

 _No, you don't. For my brother is the Millennium Earl-you're enemy._

~insertlinebreak~

Back in Edo, everything was up in Chaos.

Mana and Road had taken to the kitchen, and they were mixing something in a bowl. Road was mixing and Mana kept adding various ingredients. What they were making didn't look edible at all-but the AKUMA maids were trying to help.

"Mix it like this,Master Noah."

"Like this?" Road tried, "Here! You do it!" She thrust the bowl into the Maids' hands and leaned forward on her elbows to watch her mix, "Ah...I see…"

In the common room, Thomas and Claire were trying to make a banner. They were failing-and arguing. It didn't take long for Thomas to tackle Claire and even though she was screaming nobody bothered to help.

Joido was attempting to help Alice and Mary with decorations.

"I don't see how my ability to choose is assisting us…" He was floating in midair, trying to pin something sparklingly to the wall. The twins giggled.

"Don't worry...you are!"

The rest were busy in some way, but everybody was having fun.

~insertlinebreak~

They ended up in a store. Maria had walked away to look for rings, and Cross and Nea were left alone. The moment she disappeared in the back of the store, Cross grabbed Nea's arms and pushed him against the glass.

It was expected, really. Cross didn't trust him, even if Maria sort of did. Cross was much more observant, too observant. Nea kept from laughing because he knew he's seem more guilty.

Which he was.

The point was that Cross was definitely suspicious. He held him by his arms, and since nobody else was in the shop, nobody saw it. Nea let him, because he was bored.

That and he was quickly formulating a plan. He liked Cross, he liked his attitude. He had a lot of talk for someone who wasn't a general. Maria had the power to back up her bite, but as far as he knew, Cross didn't.

Nea smirked back, "Any problems?"

"What _are_ you?"

Nea nonchalantly shrugged, "Human, you?" It wasn't a lie. He _was_ human. He was a better type of human. He didn't let this onto Cross though.

"No you're not."

"Oh, but I am." Nea kept smirking.

Nea really wasn't a nice person. What he was planning wasn't nice and the steps to get there wasn't nice as well. If that meant getting his hands dirty, he was all for it. He needed some fun right about now, and Cross looked willing to provide.

That, and Cross could be useful.

"What are you, an AKUMA?"

Nea recoiled, "Ew. No." He hated being compared to AKUMA. He wasn't stupid enough to give up his soul for another's(debatable) and he wasn't going to die for them either(lies).

He thought about playing with Cross more, but reconsidered. Maria would be back soon.

 _Screw it._

"Call me a Noah...exorcist...and I would stop reaching for your innocence. I'm not so easily slain." Cross paused, looking shocked.

Nea tilted his head curiously, "You hate the Order, don't you?"

"Was all that about your family a lie?"

"Answer my question, first."

Cross paused, "The Order isn't a good place. Your turn."

"My family is complicated. I do have a twin brother...we grew up together. I call him Mana, but you may call him The Millennium Earl…what if I told you I could end the war?"

"I'd call bullshit."

Nea leaned in, "Well I haven't killed you yet(and believe me, I can) because I have a proposition for you. How much do you hate the Order?"

Unbeknownst to them, Maria had already come out. She clutched in innocence, but she was looking at them. Even though she felt that everything was coming to a close...she was smiling.

She saw Cross nod.

 _I've always wondered...what it'd be like...to be free…_

~insertlinebreak~

It wasn't long before Road was sent out to find him. She found him in the jewelry store, but the moment she saw the exorcists she latched onto Nea. She wasn't stupid around a general.

"Nea…! He wants you home…" She whispered.

"Just a moment, niece...I'm talking to Miss Maria. Go wait outside."

Road skipped out.

Maria looked sadly at Nea, "You're not human...are you Nea?"

"I am…"

 _Just a different type._

Maria looked up at him, "Are you going to kill me?"

"Depends."

"Will you kill me?"

Nea froze, "What?"

Maria looked down, "So many years I haven't doubted a word the Order gave to me. But five years ago Cross came to the Order and...I began to wonder. Why was Judgement bestowed on him? Why was my innocence," she touched her throat, "Bestowed on me?"

She looked up,"What makes us special? I don't know what deal you made with Cross but...I want to _help_ him. But I can't disobey the Order."

Nea sighed, "there is a way...but it requires your death."

"I'll do it."

"You'll never really Rest In Peace, your soul will be trapped. I dabble in very dark arts." A secret he always kept from Mana.

Maria looked up, "He'll be back soon...do it. I'll write a note." She quickly scribbled something down onto a piece of paper.

"Activate your innocence."

She did. It was like a butterfly wrapped around her face. Her innocence made her look like a performer.

"I'm sorry…"

Maria smiled painfully, "Don't be..I love Cross…"

~insertlinebreak~

Nea got home with Road not to long after. The moment he walked in, it happened.

Everybody jumped out as the lights came on, "Happy Birthday!"

"Geesh, our birthday isn't until tomorrow."

Mana smiled, "Which is why I did this today!" To beat him, he didn't say. Nea gave him a wrapped gift. Mana opened it slowly: it was the ring. Glowly green. Mana didn't shatter the innocence, he wore it.

"Happy birthday Mana."

~insertlinebreak~

Cross traced his hand down the cool metal grave...The Grave of Maria.

Her letter explained it all.

 _Dear Cross…_

He laughed bitterly, "So...this is how it begins?"


	19. Start The Final Countdown

**AN: I'm starting a countdown...T_T**

* * *

 _Soon, the prayers will return_

 _or it could take millions of years_

 _but that won't keep me from praying_

* * *

~insertlinebreak~

 _London, England_

 _Countdown: 365 days before Nea's betrayal_.

~insertlinebreak~

Nea learned two things from meeting with Cross all the time:

First off: He's a drunk and a womanizer and insufferable. (Actually that's three things buuut Nea didn't care.)

Secondly: The man used to be a scientist and is, in fact, a genius. (Which came as a surprise considering how insufferable he is)

Cross wasn't your usual man, and he was unpredictable. He wanted to meet at the most random of times. Usually he contact him through his Timcanpy, which was usually with Road or Mana. Road liked to play with it and Mana because a lot of the time Timcanpy couldn't tell the difference.

They couldn't access the message(thank goodness) but it didn't make them any less suspicious. Mana was dead set on believing that he had an exorcist girlfriend. It wasn't the exorcist part that made him upset, but the girlfriend.

Sometimes, Nea couldn't understand Mana.

The most recent time he met with Cross, the man brought something up.

"Oi, Nea, don't we need more people for this to work?"

More people wasn't something Nea really thought about. He didn't know much people outside the Noah because they hated humans. He tolerated Cross because they had a common goal(that, and across the board he wasn't that bad of company.), but everybody else was out of the question.

"Huh? Oh...but who? I don't that many people; I'm always with Mana or my family. I don't really hang around humans."

Cross didn't look put off, "You have nobody that you can think of? That little girl you're always talking about or another?" When Nea realized he was talking about Road he nearly choked. The Noah were loyal to their cause, and Mana foremost.

They were the Noah, after all.

"My niece? She's loyal to my brother...as well as my other family members. Mana isn't an easy person to…" Nea stopped himself. He looked down at his coffee, which was growing cold.

Cross chuckled, "Touchy subject?" Cross was a jerk, so Nea couldn't be upset. He already knew Cross was a jerk. And even so, they've been meeting for weeks so Nea knew he didn't mean much by it. He was a naturally blunt, sarcastic person.

"Not at all, I'm not used to this is all…"

"You're lying." Cross noted, "You do that a lot, Nea."

"What do you mean?"

Cross looked at him, "You lie about your feelings a lot. I wasn't sure of it at first but you can tell when you talk about your brother. He's your weakness." Nea pouted, crossing his arms.

"Mana is not-"

"Is too." Cross interrupted, "And listen, because it's important. If you keep letting the Earl be your weakness, and if you stay attached to him, you'll never be able to follow through."

Nea shook his head, "Please stop it."

"You love him a lot," Cross continued, "Not because he's your Earl, but because from what you told me, he's your supposed twin brother. You shared everything: a mother, a family, a face. It's natural to be attached: I'm just saying you shouldn't be. Not just for the plan's sake, for your sake as well."

 _Is he...saying what I think he's saying…?_

Nea smiled softly at the thought, _No way._

"It'll hurt more if you still love him by the end of this…"

Nea laughed, "Are you worried about me Cross? I didn't realize that you cared so much!"

"Shut up. I'm not worried about you, just the plan. And your sanity mostly. We won't get anything done if you're insane.

"Ah, so you are worried!" Nea smiled brightly, "You really do like me, I'm glad! But on a serious note, don't worry about my feelings sacrificing the plan. I'm not doing this because I hate Mana or anything. I'm doing this because I love him-I rather one of us dying than us hating each other and living...and we can't exist together, not anymore."

 _And in truthfulness…_

"Mana and I…"

 _Became mad puppets long ago...the moment I vowed to serve him...and we awakened as the Earl and his anomaly._

"Ha…" Nea looked down, "Anyway, I think there is a person that I can ask. The only problem is that...we'll, he's grown attached to a lot of the family. It should be fine though, because he's in no way obliged to stay loyal, even though he is. Ah…"

 _But I feel bad for asking…_

"Ask him, what's the worse that can happen?"

"He goes running to Road or Wisely...the first and second born if you were wondering-and the most loyal-and they tell Mana. But I don't think he'll do that. He'd like to see this war in a different light anyway."

Cross shrugged, "I'd ask him, this boy is practically family right? He trusts you and cares for you obviously and if you care for him-"

"Of course I do!" Nea almost sounded offended, "I wouldn't call Junior family if I didn't care for him."

"Then ask him."

Nea squirmed, "Alright…"

He opened up his journal and began scribbling something down. Cross leaned over curiously as Nea held it up to him with a bitter smile.

 _[Final Countdown]_

 _[365 days remaining]_

"Let's get this done in exactly one year!" He proposed.

Cross leaned back, drinking out of his cup(probably wine).

"So on this date next year you'll begin?"

Nea nodded slowly, "I suppose so…"

~insertlinebreak~

"Ne, Junior?"

Allen looked up to see Nea standing in the doorway of the library. He was studying with Road and Wisely. The worst thing about school was the exams, and although he's been attending school for nearly a year and a half it didn't get easier.

"Ah, welcome back Nea!" The three youngest chorused.

"Thank you. Can I talk to you for a moment, Junior?"

Allen nodded slowly, and left with Nea.

~insertlinebreak~

 _"But Nea…!"_

 _"I know…"_

 _"You and he…"_

 _"I know."_

 _"...are you sure?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Please give me a few days to think on it."_


	20. Juniors Promise

***Nervous Smile* Um...hi? *dodges bullet* I'm sorry I know! Ha ha...I've started a new story as some of you know...and I got really into the outline of it. Review!**

* * *

 _"Nea...use me! Use my body! I'll protect your memories, I'll make sure you don't die!"  
_

 _[That day...that day I promised to protect you…]_

 _"Idiot! Nea, don't you remember?"  
_

 _[Do you remember it?]_

insertlinebreak~

 ** _Countdown: 335 days_ **

~insertlinebreak~

"Hey Junior, what are you reading?" Nea peered over his shoulder. The book was a bunch of unintelligible scribbles, Nea was unable to read any of it, but Allen slammed the book shut quickly.

It was something secret it seemed, but that didn't stop Nea from looking at him with a confused expression, "Hmm?" This was the first time Junior ever attempted to hide something from him. He was always so open, much like Mana.

"It's nothing!" He laughed nervously, "Something for the old man you see, it's confidential to the Bookmen, so I can't let you read it." He smiled brightly, tucking the book in his lap.

"But I couldn't even read it," Nea pointed out. He smiled softly, "You're just as bad at hiding things as the Earl, what are you hiding?" He reached out for the book, but Allen slapped his hands away.

 _Hm?_

Laughing, he stood up so quickly that he didn't notice the book fall from his lap. He grabbed Nea's arm, tugging in the direction of the door.

"C'mon, let's go out together! I'm bored since Bookman kept me home from school today!" Allen's eyes drifted to the floor.

Nea blinked, "Oh yeah, why did he do that?" Allen had only stayed home twice: once when they had a mission and Road and Allen weren't able to go, and the other time when Allen got so sick he couldn't get out of bed.

Allen's smile dimmed, "It's...nothing really. He just had to talk to me-that's why he shut me up in the library too, but it's boring in here, and he's not here so…" Allen tugged his hand again, "Unless you don't want to bond with me?"

"...You have a way of changing the subject Junior, but fine." Nea ruffled his hair, "Let's go before the Earl notices that we're leaving." Nea walked forward, but Allen stood still. He stared blankly at Nea's back, thinking.

"..."

"What?" Nea turned around curiously, "Something wrong?"

Allen bit his lip, "No...he'll get sad again if you keep calling him Earl you know."

"He gets sad over a lot of thing, he's naturally dramatic. Sometimes I just can't with him…" Nea sighed good-naturedly, laughing.

He tugged at his hands again, "Well...come on…"

As they shut the door to the library, somebody else walked in from the opposite door. Bookman crossed the room to the chair Allen sat at, "I told him to stay in the library." When he saw the book lying on the floor he picked it up, flipping to where the writing stopped.

The title shocked him, but he didn't show it. He hadn't expected Junior to follow his orders. Over the time he spent with the Noah, Allen had gotten rebellious.

"So he really did start it." Bookman set the book down, "I hope he knows how to end it." He left the room silently.

~insertlinebreak~

"So," Nea began, "What did you really want to talk to me about?" He looked down at Allen, who was distracted by birds splashing in a puddle. Nea knew him better though, so he knew how he heard him loud and clear. Something was bothering Allen, and Allen seemed to be afraid.

After a moment, Allen turned to him,"Hmm?"

"I know you heard me Junior." Nea walked forward, "Don't lie to me." Since Allen was sitting on a bench(not that he wasn't already incredibly short), he towered over him. Allen stared at him with wide, silver eyes.

Nea sighed, "Tell me what's bothering you."

"What do you mean?" Allen laughed, "If anything you're acting-"

"Allen."And Allen froze, because Nea _never_ called him by his name. He always called him by his Bookman title 'Junior.' The fact that he called him by his alias shouldn't have shocked him, but it did. Nea only said his name was he was serious, and now he was serious,

Nea was going to make him tell. Not that he didn't already have to, it was inevitable.

 _Or that panda will definitely…and I can't let that happen…_

"Nea...do you remember a month ago, when you asked me that question?"

Nea froze, "J-Junior?"

"No listen...I've made my decision. The Earl and you...I've always knew that you two were closer than brothers. That's why I knew something like this would happen-perfect relationships don't remain perfect. And I've grown so attached as well...and that's my fault. I guess what I'm saying is...I accept…"

Even at the surge of relief, Nea was the voice of reason. Allen was a member of the family,it seemed he trusted them more than his Master. That was wrong for a Bookman, but it said a lot about their family.

Allen could give up being a Bookman and live happily with the Noah, and nobody would protest. They all loved Allen equally and as much as they loved each other.

"Allen… what are you…"

"This war...I'm supposed to be impartial. I realize now that I've gone wrong...I've messed up somewhere and-I need to see this war differently."

Nea's eyes darkened, "There's a chance you may die. Mana is very strong."

"And his strength is cut in half because you received half of _his_ original powers. He's much weaker than the Earl should be." Allen reasoned, but more to himself. He knew that sure, Mana was weaker compared to the original Earl but he was still the Earl.

Not to mention the rest of the Noah...they were all so powerful.

"Allen…"

Allen smiled, "It's okay! I'm okay with it...so for now I'll give you this promise! No matter what Nea, no matter what happens...up until my record ends...I'll stay with you!"

Nea laughed bitterly, "Oh...how ironic…"

"What?"

"That what I used to tell Mana…"

Allen quieted, "Oh…" He looked away, "Sorry…"

Nea grinned, "No it's okay! I'm attached to Mana...so there's no way I can get this done without hurting myself in the process, or the ones I love love. It's better to get used to it now."

 _Now I have two partners!_

Wait…two?

 _...Crap!_

"Nea?" Allen looked curiously at the man, who had suddenly grown quiet. Nea suddenly looked terrified.

"Um...Allen...I have another person as well. He's an exorcists...you two...may not get along well, he may actually make you quit."

Allen smiled, "What can he possibly do to me?"

"Um...make fun of your hair...glasses...smile...girlish looks...shortness-"

"I am not short!" Allen argued, but seeing as Nea towered over him it was sort of true.

Then he smiled, "It's okay-if he truly does ridicule everything I do, it'll just be like talking to my master!"

"Bookman is nothing like Cross…" Nea smiled nervously, "I hope you two get along…"

Allen grabbed his hand, "It's fine, Nea! Oh and Nea?"

"Yeah?"

"Please call me Allen for now on."

Nea blinked, "You never had a problem with me calling you Junior before."

"It's….different now." Allen looked away.

Nea paused, before laughing, "aw! You're so cute Allen!"

"Nea!"

~insertlinebreak~

" _Cross?" Nea sat by the man._

" _Yes?"_

" _He agreed."_

~insertlnebreak~

" _But master!"_

 _Allen stood so quickly that everything on his desk almost fell. He tried not to raise his voice, his room was too close to the other Noah and they worried about him enough as it was._

" _You've forgotten what we stand for, have you not?"_

" _I haven't!"_

" _You have, and it's jeopardizing us. Do you remember our code?"_

 _Allen nodded slowly, his face slowly turning blank. No traces of 'Allen' could be seen right now. At this point there was no point in keeping up his alias._

" _I understand."_


	21. The Official Meeting

**Funny chapter! Well, it's me torturing Allen because he's too cute.**

* * *

 _Countdown: 300 days until Nea's betrayal_

~insertlinebreak~

Junior was wrong.

Allen Walker a.k.a Bookman Junior was so, incredibly wrong.

He continuously thought curses as he struggled to keep the polite smile on his face as he stared at this man. Three women hung off both arms, and the smell of alcohol was so heavy in the air.

A bar.

He let Nea drag him to a bar-underage, and all the while disobeying Bookman's orders! If the panda found out...

Allen kept feeling the uncontrollable desire to strangle this man with his long red hair.

...Bookman would kill him if he ever found out where Allen was. He could hear his lecture now:

 _"A proper Bookman shouldn't be in a bar-he should be recording! I will close this record-"_ and blah blah blah.

"So, this is the brat you've been talking about," Cross commented, "Seems a little scrawny don't you think? A bit short..." He paused, "Looks like a girl with his long hair. You sure he's the right fit?"

 _E-eh? A-a girl?!_

So Nea was right: Cross was a jerk. Not to mention-he had long hair too!

 _T-that...jerk!_

From beside Allen, Nea stifled laughter, even when Allen elbowed him. Then, quickly, he tied back his hair. It previously fell all over his face, like how a girl would style it.

Cross eyed him; he looked a little more boyish now, with his hair back. Still incredibly feminine, but he couldn't help that.

"What's your name?"

Allen was so tempted to tell him the truth; he had no name. He wanted to tell him to call him Junior because like hell this...this...thing would call him by his carefully selected name.

...However he had an alias for a reason.

Allen kept the smile on his face, because _he wouldn't let his alias die because of Cross._

"My name is Allen Walker, pleasure to meet you." He bowed politely, because it was habit in Bookman territory. They always bowed to their elders.

"What're you bowing for? Your dialect and accent says that you're british." Cross deadpanned, and drank a long gulp of whatever was in his cup. Allen felt his eye twitch, and Nea burst into full blown laughter.

"Y'know, if you're such a strong exorcist, shouldn't you be a general?" Allen bit back, polite smile still on his face.

...So much for trying to be polite.

"For Nea to trust you, shouldn't you be smarter?"

Nea's laughter increased.

As he wiped tears, Nea lamented, _Ah, maybe Junior and Cross weren't the best of mixes, at least if I had asked Road she would've probably killed Cross by now..._

In Allen's mind, the curses increased.

"Nea," Allen harshly whispered to Nea, "You never said that-"

"I told you that you two may not get along, Junior!" Nea hummed, "Now, be a good short stack and tell Cross everything about yourself."

Shortstack?!

Allen blinked back, "No way!"

Nea's amused smile turned serious, "Do it, or I'll show everybody those embarrassing photos and tell your master that you were out drinking!" Which wasn't true, because Allen was a pure child who refrained from it. As a Bookman heir, it was prohibited to do anything that would risk their memory of recording abilities

That and Allen knew better than to lose awareness of his surroundings around Nea.

"Y-you would lie?" Allen gasped.

"Of course I would. My family business is destroying lives." All the while smiling sweetly-Nea really was the devil.

...And that wasn't a lie.

Allen knew Nea would really do it.

"A-Ah...no...no...we-ah- don't have to go that far..." Allen laughed nervously before turning to Cross, "Well, Mr. Cross, you may call me Allen, but I have you know that typically I go by Junior."

Here, he'd get to act all proud that he was a bookman heir. Cross would be so surprised…

He'd get to act all arrogant and elated and Cross would be in _awe_ at him. It was a win-win situation!

Cross blinked, "What're you? Your father was Allen Walker as well?"

Allen smirked, arrogance clear in his face, "No. Allen is actually not my name. I have no name you see for-"

"Ah," Cross interrupted, making Allen deflate, "you are a Bookman heir I see. Bookman Junior is what you go by...ah...so I won't call you Allen then..." He looked defeated, making Allen beam.

Allen brightened, "You won't?"

...A moment of silence passed.

"Short stack is a much better name..." Cross smirked, "And I was fully prepared to call you by your alias. Too bad…"

"..."

"..."

Nea burst into laughter, "HAHAHAHA! I guess he got you, huh, Junior?"

" #%&%^$ $..." Was in Allen's mind once more.

In absolute hindsight, Nea should've told Allen more about Cross. Even if it was hilarious, Allen would throw a fit when they got home. Cross and Allen weren't the best of mixes, but at least it would be fun for the remainder.

And at least he'd be laughing more often now. Mana was always complaining that Nea didn't smile _nearly_ as much.

Still laughing, he held up his notebook.

[ _Final Countdown: 300 days]_

~insertlinebreak~

Needless to say, the first meeting didn't go too well. Allen got found out by Bookman, and was kicked for disobeying. He also got yelled at in five different languages which was always fun to listen to.

Hearing Allen answer in the five languages was always a pleasure as well. He wasn't too fluent in German yet so he sounded like he was speaking gibberish. Fiidora, who was German, had to translate on more than one occasion.

Mana found out that Nea was there as well, and cried because he thought his brother was eloping with some blonde bartender. They were arguing in Mana's room about marriage and kids.

...Something about how Nea would be a terrible parent...and husband...and everything in between…

Cross is completely fine, because Cross is one hell of an exorcist.

And that was their first meeting.

* * *

*dies laughing* I'm so mean to Allen. Short chapter but we're kind of almost done and I thought that Allen and Cross wouldn't like each other at first.


	22. Extra: House of Cards

**_So writers' block...fun times right? Th_ is is my attempt to, y'know escape. Hence the depressing chapter that has nothing to do with the actual outlined real chapter.**

* * *

 _Like there's no tomorrow_

 _Like there's no next time_

 _Everything that you've done in front of my eyes  
It's a complete darkness  
Say it like you mean it  
In the end, we can't make it  
Even so, I keep hoping  
Even at the end, if you're with me, I'm okay-House of Cards, BTS_

 _~Insertlinebreak~_

It was no secret that when Mana got upset(which was scarily often), he liked to disappear. Mana was never consistent; he was either a ball of hyperactive sunshine or he was surrounded by dark thoughts. He felt either too much at once or too little.

So when his emotions and thoughts got the best of him, he disappeared. Nea, unsurprisingly, was always the one sent after him to comfort him. Not that he minded, because it was like that since birth.

Mana usually ran away to hide in the ark, but it was nearly impossible to hide from Nea there. Not when Nea's piano controlled every aspect of that ark.

"Why are you sulking?" Nea sat beside Mana, who was sitting against a wall within knees to his chest. Mana didn't respond, only looked away. Nea sighed, "Are you really going to be difficult? You have a family to lead, you can't do this."

Mana turned, blinking at him, "Do what?" He asked, almost innocently. Despite being what he was, Mana looked like he was the epitome of innocence. Everything about him screamed innocence from his wide eyes to his mannerisms. Although he was anything but innocent, he certainly played the part.

Nea wasn't too sure whether or not he was _playing_ this time. From what he saw, Mana couldn't tell what he meant.

"You can't just disappear anymore...you can't just hide anymore. You aren't just 'Mana' anymore." Nea felt bad saying it so sternly, as if he didn't care about Mana's feelings. This was Mana's habit after all, to disappear and let Nea find him and baby him even though he was the eldest.

Mana had a way of making Nea feel like the eldest brother, but Mana was so gullible and impressionable.

"I can't...what?"

Nea sighed, "I...can't keep taking care of you." And then Nea knew Mana understood because his eyes widened. Mana was so innocent looking, like a child. He understood completely, and hurt filled his eyes like a flood.

By saying this…

 _It's like saying we aren't Mana and Nea anymore, right?_

Which is what Nea meant, because it was so much bigger than them. It was so much more than that burning sunset...and the sound of the wind..and that large tree that Katerina won't tell what happened at.

It was so much bigger than whatever remained there, and the story of their mother and father. It was so much bigger than their human lives as well. They weren't just the twin brothers anymore.

In the span of a couple of months, they shifted completely. It turned from Mana and Nea to the Noah Family. With Mana being the center of it all.

"Ah...I see…" Mana whispered, "So I'm being selfish? I am...aren't I?"

Nea sat up, "Mana?"

"To want everything to remain the same, it's selfish. Between you and me, I don't anything to change. You're so precious to me. " Mana ducked his head, "But that's selfish."

 _It's selfish to not want anything to change...when in reality everything did._

Nea blinked guilt suddenly blooming, "Mana I didn't-"

"No...it's alright. I think. But in that regard, you're so selfish as well. To want me to give up seventeen years of this. I think that's why I've been so upset lately. I keep pushing for you because I think it's for the best but you push it away for the same reason. It just causes a stalemate…"

Nea smiled bitterly, "or a delicate balance that can collapse at any moment."

 _A house of Cards._

There was a soft sound, a sob. Nea turned to Mana quickly, but his hair was covering his eyes. He reached out to brush it out of his face, but the harsh recoil said it all.

"I've become so _stupid…_ " Mana admitted, "I thought I was better than this. No matter how hard I try…"

 _Why is it always you?_

Although he was the eldest, Nea protected him. Although he was the Earl, Nea kept him in line. Everything seemed to revolve around Nea, his life, his feelings. He didn't think anything of it before, when they were normal humans, but now it was more obvious.

"I really can't exist without you. And I feel something growing...and it feels dark…" Mana winced, "It's suffocating." He flinched as a tear dropped from his face, landing on the white floor. Everything was white here, pure, even if this was anything but.

"Why are you crying?" Nea asked again, this time a lot quieter. The answer was obvious but Nea had to ask. For Mana and his sake he had to ask. Although it hurt, although he was hurting him. They were hurting each other.

Mana smiled as he looked up, but even Nea as blinded by his affection for Mana, could see how ugly it'd become. He was never fit to be the Earl. He was fragile, like glass. He'd shatter under the littlest pressure and he'd cut anyway close.

"Can't you tell?" Mana asked, a lot more bitterly than Nea hoped.

"Mana…"

Mana reached out for Nea, grasping him tightly, "something _falling_ , Nea. Something...and I think…"

"Shut up," Nea muttered and stood up, "When you're done moping and sulking, come join our family meeting." And Nea disappeared into a gate, but Mana only laughed quietly at his hasty departure.

It seemed that Nea, with all his talk, felt the same way.

 _We're both selfish Nea...you don't want to let go of me just as much as I don't to let go of you._

That's how it started. The sudden whirlpool of lies and tricks and false smiles that sent them into it. Mana felt it, storming towards them, and he laughed at it.

 _Well, aren't we just one happy family?_


	23. Woe of Dreams

**Finally! I finished this chapter! This is mostly about Road because I figured that since she is such an important character in this I should give her a chapter mostly about her. So a lot of it is centered around her relationship with Wisely and Nea. Read and review! Also...only two months remaining until Nea's betrayal. ;-;**

* * *

 _Countdown: 62 days remaining until Nea's betrayal_

 _ **"Found you, dreams."**_

Road sat up. and immediately wiped the tears from her eyes. Nightmares didn't happen, not to her, the Noah of Dreams.

And anyway...

 _Why would I have a nightmare about Nea?_

Nea, not once, had ever hurt her. He hadn't even yelled at her much-so why would she ever dream of him hurting her? Road groaned as she held her head softly, for once glad that she was in her own room.

 _Nea would never hurt me…_

She was surprised that she cried. Road hadn't cried since Nea collapsed-and no, the times when she used tears to get what she wanted _didn't_ count. By now, she was so detached to human emotion that she fully believed that it was what made humans-and in turn, exorcists- so _weak_.

She fell back onto her bed kicking numerous frilly pink throw pillows off of her bed with a pout. Things had gotten so _frustrating_ lately. What made it worse, was that Wisely probably felt her distress and woke up. If he did, he'd be on his way to her room.

Much like herself, Wisely was prone to getting sucked into people's thoughts and feelings. If she woke him up, she'd never hear the end of it. Wisely would prod and poke and dig until he found out what was wrong with her.

And when he did, he wouldn't be happy.

There was whispering outside her door. She couldn't hear much, but she heard footsteps walking away. Road snuck underneath her comforter and waited, staring at her ceiling.

There was a knock at her door, "Road? Are you awake?" Unmistakably Wisely. He opened her door moments later.

"I'm awake." Road sat up, "Who were you talking to?"

"Nea. He said that he was walking by your room, and that you sounded scared. He was going to check on you. I got him to go away though." Wisely shut the door behind him.

Road blinked, "Why is Nea up so late? Is he okay?" She swung her feet off the bed and stood, making her way towards the door. Nea was never up this late, it was one of the reasons he was up so early. He always went to bed early-unlike Mana, who went to bed late and woke up late.

Wisely blocked her path, "He's fine. He was fixing the gates, lay back down. You have school tomorrow." Road got back into bed, crossing her arms.

"Did I wake you up?" Road asked, "I'm sorry if I did."

Wisely shook his head, "I was already up. Headaches." He explained because his chronic condition was never surprising. The Noah of wisdom always suffered from headaches because their mental power was so strong and sensitive.

"Are you okay?" Road asked, "Did you take pain medicine already?" Wisely smiled; with Road's young appearance and mannerisms, he sometimes forgot that she was the eldest Noah. Being the eldest Noah, she always worried about the younger Noah.

He shook his head, "No, but I'm okay now."

"Okay."

"So what upset you enough to have a nightmare?" He sat on her bed, a frown on his face.

Wisely looked much older when he frowned. He was only eighteen...but when he was serious he looked older. He was sort of scary when he got like that, because Road still looked very young. Wisely in general scared her sometimes.

Although she knew Wisely would never hurt her, the idea of someone with Wiselys' wisdom never sat well with her.

"It was nothing…"

"Road." He sounded sterner and it made Road flinch. She hated when Wisely got like this.

Road looked away, "Did you ever think that we're hurting them more by keeping it a secret? I mean...can you feel it?" The other Noah weren't as sensitive to human emotion and feelings as much as she was. As detached as she was, she caught on quickly.

"Feel what?"

"They're shattering. Nea...and Millennie too I think. Am I the only one who sees the difference? Think about it. When I was thirteen, Nea didn't call Millennie Earl, did he?"

Ever since her awakening, Nea was the only one to call him Mana. It was bound to be because they were brothers, and that was his given name. Mana D. Campbell. The brother to Nea D. Campbell.

Wisely blinked, "I never noticed that he didn't. The Earl...his real name…"

"Is Mana." Road nodded, "And Nea always called Millennie that. I didn't notice it before, but I did a while ago." She was shaking, why was she so scared? Nea...he'd never hurt Mana. Mana would never hurt Nea.

 _So why did it seem like they are always seconds from killing each other._

It was never obvious. They interacted the same way. The laughs, the smiling, holding hands. But Road was too perceptive. There was something darker now...something between them. But what did she expect? Rainbows and sunshine?

She knew since her awakening that Mana and Nea were doomed from the start.

 _Bonds that are too strong create flaws over time._

"Nea and Millennie...I think they feel it too...they just don't know what it means." Road bit her lip, "Sometimes I forget that Nea and Mana don't truly exist. It's in reality The Fourteenth and Adam."

It was hard to forget that they weren't who they believed. That the Millennium Twins was just a nickname, and they were not equal.

 _I guess I have to try harder._

~Insertlinebreak~

"Good morning Nea!" Road skipped into the dining hall that morning, hurriedly buttoning her navy jacket. She hated that while Wisely graduated, she was still in her private school along with the twins and Allen.

All three were on a mission, so she was alone.

Nea looked up from his coffee, "Oh? Good morning Road." She sat by him and began eating.

"You're up early," Road observed, "Earlier than usual." She slathered jam on her toast before taking a small bite, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I just woke up early," Nea ruffled her hair, causing her to shriek, "Your hair is getting really long." He picked up a lock, "You're not going to cut it, are you?"

 _After Millennie forced me to grow it out? No way._

Road shook her head slowly, "No, I don't think so. It took me years to grow out." There was something oddly uncomfortable about talking about something as simple as her hair. Not that they didn't have those conversations...but they hadn't in awhile.

In reality, she hadn't spent much time with Nea in a long time. That was different from three years ago, when she was thirteen. She spent a lot of time with Nea then, he even decorated her room and gave her all her toys and dresses.

 _But that was years ago._

"What's bothering you, niece?" Road looked up, blinking.

"What?"

"You weren't responding for a while…" Nea explained.

Road smiled, "oh..I was just thinking."

"About?"

"How you never take me out anymore!" Road pouted, telling the truth to an extent, "Not even for ice cream."

Nea sighed,"Sixteen year olds don't get taken out for ice cream."

"But I _look_ thirteen. I'm only sixteen by years. I haven't aged and therefore-"

"If I take you out for ice cream right now, will you leave me alone?" Nea interrupted laughing. Road frowned looking at the clock. Normally she wouldn't protest to ice cream in the morning, but she had _school._

Road pouted, "I have school."

"You're a smart girl, you won't suffer from missing one day."

Even though they both knew that because of her missions she's missed about four months total. But she had years to repeat those grades, and since she never aged repeat she would.

Road nodded with a bright smile, "Uncle and niece bonding day!" She cheered as she stood up racing to change into a dress.

"Ah, don't put on the new dress I got you!" Nea called after her. Road had a habit of ruining her most expensive and prettiest dresses, while her older ones seemed to stay in perfect condition. He guessed that Road liked to ruin her prettiest possessions, including her dolls and toys.

"But it's so pretty!"

"You're going to ruin it!" Not that she wasn't going to make him buy her five more today on their day out.

"I won't!" Road's giggling told him otherwise.

Nea sat back down at the table, wondering why he even gave into Road's pouts, "What did I just get myself into?"

~insertlinebreak~

Since it had been awhile since Nea took Road out, he made sure to spoil her. Three hours into their day together, he was already carrying a dozen bags as a result of buying Road whatever she so much as glanced at. Road, of course, didn't mind.

"Are you having fun niece?" Nea asked, smiling down at her.

Road nodded, "Of course I am!" She grabbed his hand, "I'm with you!" She swung their hands between them, "I'm so glad I skipped school to spend the day with you!"

Nea frowned, "Don't go telling Mana that I got you to skip school. He'll freak and say that I'm a bad influence on you."

"Aren't you?"

"Of course not!" He grinned, "If anything you're a bad influence on me." Road giggled before yawning.

Nea frowned. "You didn't sleep well? Is it about that nightmare you had last night?" Road stayed silent, "You could talk to me about anything, Road, I'm your uncle."

Road shook her head, "No...I'm alright. It was just a nightmare-everyone has them."

"Except the Noah of Dreams." Nea bent at the knee, his hand resting on Road's hair. It had grown so long.

Road looked down, "It was just a bad feeling I had," Road bit her lip, "I feel something...but I don't know what. Maybe it's something with the scenario or…"

"Don't worry too much about the scenario, let Mana and I keep track of that. Worry about things teenagers should worry about."

Road shook her head, "I'm the eldest, I should-"

"No, Mana and I are the eldest." Nea smiled softly, "do you trust me?"

"Yes." It made Nea's chest ache, because she said it without hesitation. She didn't even think about it; she truly trusted him with all of her heart.

Nea pinched her cheek, "Then _stop_ worrying, okay?"

"Okay."

Road slowly hugged him around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder. Nea hugged her back, wincing out of guilt. While he had known that Road was stressed and upset over something, he hadn't known it affected her this much.

~insertlinebreak~

 _Bonds that are too strong create flaws over time. I should have realized that I was the same way._

 _My bond with you, Nea, was too strong._

 _Haha...I guess that it saved me and was my downfall, huh?_

 _I was the lone normal Noah to survive...but I lost everyone special to me in the process._


	24. I Can't Forget, But It Hurts To Remember

**This chapters is saaaad. But it's alright because we only have like five chapters to go. Only a week to go before Nea's betrayal. Ha..soon this story will be over, won't that be sad? It's been a year since I started this. I'm actually pretty sad that I have to end it soon. Anyway, sad things aside, I was watching Bungou Stray Dogs for the first time, and Dazai really reminds me of Nea appearance wise. I was almost like "Why are you in a different series Nea?" He's a lot like Lavi in personality. Anyway, read and review.**

* * *

Countdown: 7 days until Nea's betrayal

~insertlinebreak~.

Allen, Nea came to find out, really didn't like to meet with Cross. Well, he could see why. He and Cross didn't exactly get along well. If Nea didn't know how fond they truly were of each other, he'd say that they hated one another.

"Junior, we have to meet with Cross!" Nea shouted, tugging at the seventeen year old boy. Allen shook his head wildly, long hair flying as he tightened his grip on the hotel's bed post.

"I don't want to! Can't we just send him a postcard or something? Allen pouted, "besides, don't we have to complete our mission by the day after tomorrow? The Earl didn't send us to London for nothing!"

Nea pulled harder, "The faster we get the meeting done the faster we can complete our mission and go-" He tugged harder, sending he and Allen crashing into the bookcase. The case tipped over and books rained down on them, the heaviest one slamming down on Nea's head.

"...home…" He sighed.

Seeing the bump growing in Nea's head, Allen burst out laughing. Nea glared for a moment before his glare faded and he ruffled Allen's hair, "One hour of your time Junior, that's all I'm asking."

"Oi, call me Allen!" Allen sighed, "It's our last meeting, I guess I can deal with that man for one last time I guess." He shrugged, "We haven't seen him in a while anyway."

Nea grinned, "Yeah, I miss him too."

"Gross! Like I'd ever miss that womanizer!" He scoffed, but Nea only smiled. The man stood up, turning around to look out the window. It was pretty outside.

Allen frowned, "Why do you insist that I like that man?"

Nea smiled tenderly, "I've learned that the ones we pretend to hate are the people we love the most." Yes, he learned that first hand. Playing pretend is just that though; a game. Everybody had to stop playing sometime.

"Nea…"

Allen reached out.

"Cross may be insufferable, but I won't deny that he's become one of my precious people. You take that role as well, Junior."

It seemed that Nea had changed; Allen didn't know whether to be surprised or pitying.

Nea grinned, "I, for one, want to at least see Cross!" He began walking towards the door, "Well, are you coming?"

Allen tried to smile, "O-okay…"

~insertlinebreak~

Cross leaned back, "our final meeting...huh." He looked at the two in front of him thoughtfully, "so a whole year has already passed." It certainly passed quickly, and Cross couldn't believe that the man sitting in front of him was Nea..

 _But...would should've I expected? Him to be the same?_

 _No...this warrants at least some change, even if it's unwilling._

Timcanpy fluttered around Cross, eventually settling on his shoulder. The golem shuffled until he was underneath his exorcist coat, and promptly poked the top of his body out.

Nea looked at him, playfully, "Tim likes you, Cross. I might as well give him to you,"

There was something strange in Nea's eyes, that Cross couldn't place. It was a sadness he wouldn't notice, couldn't notice, because until now Nea showed nothing but cocky arrogance.

"What do you say, Tim? Do you like Cross?" The golem flew up and landed on Cross's head as a response, prompting laughter from Nea. Allen reached out to hit Nea, slapping the side of his head.

"Idiot! Stop joking like you're writing your will!" Allen scolded, "Already giving precious things up, what's wrong with you?" Nea looked at him a smiled, wrapping an arm around the younger boys' shoulders.

He grinned, "But don't Cross and Tim look like a good duo?" He asked, "Besides Cross is always a loner! He needs at least one friend besides us!"

"Hey, who said I was his friend!" Both Cross and Allen exclaimed together, and after realizing that they said it at the same time looked away. Nea looked at his tea; well, at least they were getting there.

 _I'm glad_ , He mused, _I don't know what I'd do if they actually hated each other. They're so precious to me._

How strange, calling an exorcist precious to him. It seemed that he was realizing that a lot of things were precious to him now, a week away. He never really thought about it, not really, but he was really grateful for all of the people he's met. Nea was so grateful for his family and his friends.

"...Nea?" Nea looked at Allen suddenly.

He smiled uncertainly, "Yes?"

"You were a little off just now. Are you okay? Should we just plan this tomorrow. I'm sure the Earl wouldn't mind if we just were late on our mission. He'd worry but-"

Nea shook his head, "Mana wants us home for a reason, and I'll never hear the end of it if I'm late. I'm fine, I promise. We need to plan this anyway, we don't have much time left." Just a week. It's just a week away.

Allen nodded slowly, "...Okay…" But he wasn't sure. How long was Nea going to keep hiding how he felt about this away? Just once, even if they never spoke of it again, he wanted Nea to just say how he felt. Did he really think that by acting like it didn't hurt him he'd feel better?

Nea leaned back, "Now...let's plan it out."

It took a while but after a while they managed to plan out a step by step plan of what was going to happen that day. Some of it was too spontaneous for Allen's taste, because a lot of it relied on luck and really good timing. Very little of it took the Noah's powers into account and more importantly Mana's unbelievable power.

"So we have a set plan?" Cross asked, "This is finalized?"

"Yep! In a week's' time, everything will finally come to an end." Nea smiled widely, but anybody could see that it didn't truly reach his eyes. Allen felt himself getting frustrated, because he wasn't going to let Nea crumble after this was all over. He wanted Nea to feel-even if it hurt him.

 _Pain...happiness...sadness...they are all important feelings. I never realized it until I saw them, the Noah, but they need those feelings. If they don't understand them..they'll crumble._

The Noah were all so detached, so they ignored them.

Allen looked at him, "That doesn't hurt you?"

Nea paused, "What?"

"Everything that's about to happen...it's hard for you right?" Allen shared a look with Cross and knew he was doing the right thing. If Nea broke from his pushing, he might see his true feelings and thoughts on the matter. For months it felt like Nea was doing what he thought he needed and not what he wanted. For months Nea had been a puppet.

Allen couldn't lose him-not when he was risking everything. He cherished Nea too much for him to lose himself. Despite everything, despite his status, he wanted Nea to remain the way he was now. Not a different person.

Nea blinked, "What do you mean?" Nea smiled again, "What are you going on about, Junior?" He laughed, although they all knew it was fake.

"Tell me how you really feel about this Nea!" Allen exclaimed, "Stop smiling! We know you're not happy!"

"...Junior…I..." Nea abruptly stood up. He was glad there was nobody else in the cafe, because he surely looked insane, "Stop it, Junior." He ordered. It was getting to be too much. He didn't want to remember, because that hurt.

Allen shook his head, "You love them, right? You love all of them; Joido, Road, the Earl. So if you're going to do this, admit that it at least hurts you."

 _What are you talking about? Of course I love them. I never denied that-at least, not to you._

That didn't mean he didn't deny it to himself. If he pretended that he hated them, it hurt less.

Nea covered his ears, "I don't want to talk about this." Although he knew at some point he would have to. He had to, or else he'd never do it. At some point he had to address what he was losing. The answer was simple.

 _With this plan, I lose my everything._

"You owe it to yourself to be truthful Nea." Allen whispered, but Nea was already backing away. He was shaking, "or you'll never find peace after this-you'd just be a coward."

 _I'll lose him. And everything I gained in the past three years. The huge family, the smiles and the laughter; the niece I adore and the nephew I argue with. I'll lose my bratty twin cousins._

 _I'll lose Claire and Lucy and Thomas and Joido and William. All of them...all thirteen...I'll them in one week. In one week I'll be an only child...I'll even lose Mana._

 _Mana...who was with me since Mother found us and named us._

Nea turned away, "Have I really…?" Has he really pushed that away? The facts that everything won't work out in the end? Nea felt his stomach turning, his eyes watering-he suddenly felt sick.

"I...need to lay down. Allen return to the hotel when you are finished." Nea backed away, looking like he wanted to vomit, and ran. Allen looked guiltily down at his cake and tea. He knew he did the right thing, but it still hurt him to see Nea like that.

 _Huh...I've really changed._ Allen smiled painfully down at his cake, _I guess I need to do some deciding myself._

Cross stared in silence after him, "...He ran away...you were pretty harsh." He drank his coffee, "Not that I blame you. I was getting pretty worried about Nea myself. It isn't healthy, I told him to break his attachments but...I suppose that was to much to ask."

"You haven't seen him and the Noah interact. You'll never see him that happy." Allen whispered, "I know that it hurts him to do this. He can't just kill his whole family and not feel horrible! And especially the Earl...who he loves…" Allen breathed, "Oh…"

Cross leaned back, "Ne, Junior. I suppose you also have to reflect as well huh? What will you do Allen, after all of this is over?" Or, in other words, what will you choose?

The answer should've been simple, but Allen knew it was no longer that way. Ha, Bookman was going to kill him for this.

Allen stood up, "Ha...I'm going to go check on Nea now."

~insertlinebreak~

Nea stood by the window looking out, "Hey Tim…? Come here." He turned to him, a strange smile on his face. Slowly he began to walk towards him, "I need you to record something."

* * *

 **Allen made Nea realize something important, huh? And I wonder what Nea's recording on Tim? The next chapter I believe is : As The Sun Sets, Remember My Love. Which is going to fall on a day before Nea's betrayal. And the the next chapter after that jumps right into his betrayal.**


	25. Meeting You, How Fortunate Of Me

**Last chapter before the epilogue...haha...I skipped two chapter because a I felt like I was just stretching this out. We can't escape it. I didn't detail Nea's betrayal because we all know how it went down.**

* * *

 _Countdown: 0 hours to Nea's betrayal_

 _~insertlinebreak~_

 _I had never really understood how much I actually cared for them; Cross and Nea._

 _I was Bookman Junior...but somewhere along the way I messed up and became Allen Walker._

 _Somewhere...along with way...I grew a heart…_

 _I wanted to spend more time with all of them; Cross and Nea...and even Road despite it all…_

 _That's my only wish..._

It was too late, Allen knew. In reality...he was supposed to remain impartial. He was never on anybody's side...was he?

That's why...that's why…

"Junior...we're closing this record."

Allen's heart stopped and he looked wide eyed Bookman. He knew better than to argue with his master. That wouldn't get him anywhere. So, instead of arguing, he bowed and excused himself.

He didn't have much time, before he had to leave. Before he had to go and throw his entire former life behind.

The only thing on his mind was Nea; he had to find Nea.

There wasn't any more noise in the background, no more fighting he supposed. Road and the Earl weren't home yet, but he doubted that they were dead. Road...Nea couldn't defeat her much less Mana.

Still though, it didn't mean that Allen couldn't hope.

Allen ran quickly around, trying to find the person he knew was lying. He hoped, he prayed so hard that he was still alive.

God, maybe if he asked, maybe he would give him this one act of kindness…

He ran, his breath in his ears. He looked around wildly, passed the bodies lying around. They were all dead; every single last one of them.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be dead...not yet…

Just for a bit longer...I want to stay with them for a bit longer..

 _...I'm so selfish…_

 _"Allen!" Road…_

 _"Junior!" Nea…_

 _"Shortstack!" Cross…_

 _"You stupid womanizer my name is Allen! A-L-L-E-N!"_

Nea...and even Cross...he cared so deeply for them. He was a failure as a bookman but…he felt he at less deserved this. After so many names, he deserved this.

For a moment, with them, he felt human…

 _Please...let him live!_

"A-Allen."

Allen stopped, froze, and turned around. Nea was leaning against the wall, his sword lying next to him . His wounds were deep and bleeding; a mixture of sword slashes and stabs. Road and the Earl had came and went it seemed and by Nea's eyes it seemed that the two survived.

"Nea..." Allen breathed and dropped to his knees. He tried to stop the bleeding but he knew he wouldn't be able to . It was hopeless, Nea would die, they had lost.

Unless…

His heart ached, he didn't want to say goodbye yet! Despite being Bookman Junior...his times as Allen Walker didn't fade from his heart. Nea...and even Cross...he wanted to spend more time with them.

It was strange to be feeling this way after suppressing it for so long. He loved them, he realized. Nea and Cross and Road-all of the Noah really. He loved being apart of a family, and being cherished. He loved them and he loved being around them but…

...that was all ending now, right?

He helped in Nea's plan to kill his entire family-including the person _Nea_ loved as well. When put that way, it was funny.

They both were losing things that they loved.

 _Unless…._

Allen smiled, bitterly, and felt tears go down his face, "You know Nea, this wasn't as bad as I thought..."

"You stupid boy...I told you it wouldn't be," Nea reached up and flicked his forehead, weakly. It didn't even hurt but Allen flinched anyway.

Allen smiled again, this time looking into Nea's eyes, "Y'know what else? I've decided that I don't care anymore...so...Nea...use me! Use my body...I'll protect your memories." He didn't know why he was making this promise.

It was just that...someday...even if it was a stupid wish…

 _"Junior...I was thinking...when this is all over-we can join the circus!"_

 _"The circus...how stupid.." At that time, he had smiled._

 _Nea laughed, "Yeah! Cross, you, and I. We'd be like a trio..."_

At that time, Allen had just passed Nea's changing personality as him trying to brighten the mood.

 _Now…_

"..Junior..." Nea blinked, the pain was so great...but he couldn't do that…

But Allen was looking at him with such bright eyes...he really was a beacon of light in darkness. Such hope...he couldn't be tainted within this war…

...Even now, he was shining so brightly.

Nea laughed; so, this is what he is reduced to, huh? Forced to taint the ones he cared so much about; Cross...Mana...Allen…

Allen grit his teeth, "Ne...a...!" He grabbed his shoulders, tears falling, shouting,"I don't want to to lose you!"

Nea's eyes widened, as if he just realized it.

Even though Nea was the cause of this...even if history was never recorded because of this…

He just wanted to spend more time with all of them...that was his only wish...

It was stupid.

So stupid.

He should just close the record; being Allen Walker wasn't worth it. But they had gone so far...it couldn't be for nothing, could it?

"..."

 _"Nea, stop thinking so much and do it!"_

Something in Allen's chest...his heart...it told him not to do it. Something was spreading throughout his chest, something warm. Nea reached out and touched Allen's head, something shot into it. Something painful...but it filled Allen with relief.

Allen's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he collapsed onto the floor; unconscious.

Nea watched with wide eyes as suddenly, Allen's body began to glow. Something warm was radiating from him. To his Noah, it caused so much pain.

"No...way...Allen, no, Junior...you were...it...all this time...?"

~insertline break~~

 _Huh...where am I...?_

There was darkness all around him, Allen was alone. He was lying on something soft..almost as if something was cradling him. Warmth was all around him, like a blanket and Allen's eyes opened.

The first thing in his mind was; _I should get back to Nea...I really should, he's injured._

But...something was inviting in this space...like something was asking him to stay…

 _ **Ba...thump...**_

"Allen..."

 _Huh? Who's there?_

 _ **Ba...thump...**_

Nothing responded but a bright light formed in front of him. It made warmth radiate from his chest and Allen pressed a hand to his heart.

 _What are you...?_

The light didn't respond but for some reason Allen could understand it perfectly. It was innocence, it spoke. Allen's hand reached out, hesitantly, as if afraid to hurt it. Something odd was about it, but the feeling was overwhelmed by trust.

Allen had no reason to distrust the innocence...and this one was…

The innocence was trying to tell something, something important.

 _You're...no I'm...the heart? No...that's not right...I used to be the heart because you're leaving me now, is that right?_

The light was getting brighter, and Allen realized it was radiating from his chest. He laughed, and was shocked to hear that it was not bitter. It was full of happiness and trust, and he reached out again, this time touching it firmly with the palm of his hand.

 _The heart...so I was it this whole time...?_

The innocence wrapped around him, as if comforting him. This revelation could've helped them, Allen knew, if only they had known…

 _Hm...can you do me a favor?_

 _A...wish?_ It seemed to ask, _You...want a wish...?_

Allen smiled, brightly, and touched his palm to his heart. He was beginning to fade, he realized. His skin was breaking apart and cracking; he closed his eyes in acceptance. The warmth in his heart was increasing...no...the innocence wasn't leaving him...only the heart was…

I _know this is a lot to ask of you...but I want to protect Nea's memories...no...that's not right._

 _I want to protect Nea! I want to protect Nea...and Cross...and all humans! Even the Noah...Road and Mana...they all mean so much…_

Allen opened his eyes; the light was increasing, as if enveloping him. Allen didn't want the heart to leave him, he had already grown so attached. However he was okay...if it just granted him this wish…

 _Continue to pray…_

Ha...that was the lyrics to Nea and Mana's lullaby...right? Yes...the lullaby Nea loved so much-the song he played for Mana.

 _Yes...okay..._

His left arm was burning...and he looked at it with wide eyes. It was glowing green and his smile grew wider.

"Ha...ha...give me the power...to protect them..."

 _And…_

 _...show whoever I may become…_

 _...what...what love is..._

And Allen was gone.

~insertlinebreak~

 _What...grow and expand..._

 _are thousand of dreams..._

 _dreams..._

 **EPIC PLOT TWIST!**

 **Allen was the heart. HOWEVER...the present time is no longer the heart. The Heart left him, but in an effort to grant his wish the Heart gave him crowned clownf**.


	26. Kiss The Hands You Hold

Kiss The Hands You Hold

 _Nea looked at him, playfully, "Tim likes you, Cross. I might as well give him to you,"_

 _There was something strange in Nea's eyes, that Cross couldn't place. It was a sadness he wouldn't notice, couldn't notice, because until now Nea showed nothing but cocky arrogance._

 _"What do you say, Tim? Do you like Cross?"_

~insertlinebreak~

 _"Hey Cross, do you like Tim?"_

The wind blew harshly across the field, and everything was silent. One lone figure stood in the middle of that golden field, a golem floating above his head. His red hair blowing violently in the wind. Judgement was put at his hip, and Grave of Maria was next to him.

His exorcist uniform was changed, the black and silver turned into black and gold. Cross was no normal exorcist now, he was an exorcist general. The accomplishment was great, reserved for only the best.

He sacrificed so much for this role, so many exorcists died in his attempt to keep his alliance secret. So many innocent lives lost...Maria...he touched her grave.

He sacrificed so much…

So why...why did he feel like it meant nothing?

 _"...he seems to like you..."_

Timcanpy fluttered about above him, and he looked lost. He circled around, as if looking for something. When he didn't find it, he restarted the pattern again. Cross glanced up.

"...You miss him, is that right?"

Timcanpy stopped and looked at him. Then it looked around as if to ask where his master was. Cross turned away, his grip tightening on the object in his hand. It was a mask, a white one that covered half of his face.

 _"Cross, you know what I think? You should wear a mask!"_

"I thought you would. Leave it to Nea to disregard how his death would affect others."

 _"Hey Cross, do you like Tim? I've been considering giving him to you, he seems to like you well enough. He probably won't be too happy with the sudden change, but he'll adjust. He's a fighter! Haha…like you! This path you're walking Cross...keep going on it. It's not over...not yet. We're still together, right? No matter what happens,we will always be together, okay?"_

That promise Nea so carelessly made...Nea was always so reckless. He always let his emotions run him, but then again, isn't that what Cross admired about him? To always be so reckless and yet so ridiculously efficient?

" _No matter how far we are separated...the three of us….you, Allen, and I… we remain connected! Don't stop, keep walking. Okay? Okay...okay...I realize that this may be really sad...because this may be the last time you hear my voice. It's alright if that happens...we'll be reunited again."_

Cross turned towards the golmen, glaring angrily at it, "Stop playing the recording, Tim."

The recording that Nea left him, gifting him Timcanpy-and promising him that eventually they'll reunited, and once that happened they'll never be separated.

What a foolish promise; how could they reunite if two out of the three decided to recklessly die? They were both stupid. The

Tim looked at him, as if to say, 'Nea wanted you to hear this.' It was true...if he had been a little faster...the promise he made wouldn't of seemed so much like a lie.

He should've realized...that Nea's final recording wasn't so much of him being dramatic as much as it was him saying goodbye. If he had realized...that him gifting Tim to him was a last wish...maybe he could've stopped him before he attacked.

In hindsight, they both should've realized that Nea couldn't defeat Road much less Mana...Road was one of the strongest Noahs...and Mana was so much stronger...

"Damn it Nea, I should really give up on you...I should, really..."

He began walking away, out of that golden field and towards a life that he knew he hated. The Order...how he hated that place...the place that he believed he could escape from, when this was over.

Cross smirked, bitterly, "Heh...well then..." He reached up, placing the mask on his face, "That was my mistake, eh Tim?" He walked faster, "Let's go." Timcanpy obediently followed after.

 _"This path isn't gone, it only split."_

Even if it got him killed…

 _Nea...I'll await your return…_

~insertlinebreak~

Road sat on the building of a roof, staring at her hands. Her feet dangled off the ledge, barefoot, cut up from the battle not even five days ago. Her healing ability didn't extend to the damage caused by her own family,apparently. It was the same reason she had bandages going up her arms and legs.

Although it was snowing in Paris, she wore nothing but her short white dress. She wasn't cold, or shivering. In distance, she could see the Dark Order, and she supposed that around this time they were celebrating Christmas...she wondered what the Millennium Earl would gift her.

She wondered if she'd receive Alice and Mary's presents as well-when she thought about it she'd probably receive the rest of the family's presents as well. Even Nea's.

 _I wonder what I should do with the presents I bought for them...for all of them..._

One hand was playing in her now short hair. She had cut it, just after she first got home. She twirled a strand around her finger, looking strangely at it. Nea had always liked her hair long; preferred it, even.

 _"Road, your hair is so long now. It's pretty this way, I like it."_

" _I should cut it."_

" _No! Didn't I say I like, you should go with whatever your dearest uncle thinks you look prettiest with."_

"Huh...I wonder what he'd say now, because I cut my hair short again?" She laughed, quietly.

She'd have eternity to grow and cut her hair, anyway. Because no matter how much she aged, she stayed in the body of a twelve year old girl anyway, despite being sixteen years old.

She could change her body but...she liked this body she had now.

Her mind was blank, as if every memory she had of them, her family, was wiped clean.

"Huh...seems I've suffered memory damage..." Upon waking up in the morning, her Noah seemed to have reacted badly to the massacre and wiped her memory of their faces. She remembered that there was fourteen of them...or that there used to be fourteen of them. She remembered that she called two of them her uncles...and that she was doted on as the youngest. She remembered Nea...and his twin brother Mana...but not how Mana fit into all of this...

But...none of that mattered. Of course she'd remember family...but that person...the person who she loved so much...who was it? He was like family, and she knew that it wasn't just her childish mocking way of 'loving' people.

 _"I'm back, Road!"_

 _"Welcome back-...-"_

Whenever she thought about him, something warm spread inside her chest, like light.

What...was that feeling? It felt tender, and gentle.

Whoever he was, or if he even lived through this whole ordeal, she hoped that he wasn't just a figment of her vivid imagination. That'd be cruel, because she already lost somebody she loved dearly.

She kicked her feet, frowning.

"I wonder if it would've been different, "She sighed, "If I had told that secret...but," She held her head, "Now I can't even remember what it was..."

Road giggled manically into her palm, and it burst out into full, deranged laughter..

~insertlinebreak~

Pieces of glass lay on the ground, each shard reflecting his image brokenly. He hated his reflection...his face...his body...it reminded him so much of him. Because of the fact that he was nearly identical, he could never escape him...Nea.

He hated his face.

The Earl hated Nea, and yet he still loved him so much. He gripped his shoulders, his hair hanging onto his face like the dolls Road loved so much _._ Road...his beloved only family.

No matter...what happened...he still couldn't go back on that promise he made! He loved Nea so much...so much that it hurt to leave him.

Why?!

 _"We remain connected!"_

 _No matter how far…_

 _No matter...how many years…_

Mana reached up, and cradled his face in his palms. Red streaked down his cheeks-he was crying blood.

And yet, it didn't hurt.

Or maybe...he was already hurting so much it just didn't affect him anymore.

Maybe...and yet…

 _...let the prayers return..._

No, he didn't hate Nea.

He couldn't, he had no one to blame but himself for this.

If...if only he had gone to Nea with his dreams...maybe Nea would have told as well and...and...they'd still be together now!

He never wanted to leave him...never...he was so willing to forgive him. If Nea had never attacked Road so suddenly, he would have never fought him. He would've just scolded him and cried until Nea felt bad and apologized. Their fights always went like that...yes...this was just like one of their fights.

When Nea returned...Mana would just apologize and cry. And they would make up! That's how...that's how it always went...right?

 _But Nea hates me….and I hate..._

...He didn't hate Nea-Mana hated himself.

He hated himself.

He hated his human self.

 _It was all his fault!_

Laughter bubbled up, and tears came with it. Katerina...his own mother that cherished him...he killed her in such cold blood...in his anger…

"I'm sorry...but it's my duty as the Earl to cast these three days of darkness upon this hellish world!"

Mana glanced in the shards again, energy bubbling up in his hand, "It's all your fault-Nea's Mana!" Pain tore through his face, but he paid it no mind. When he looked back, he saw an unrecognizable face...one that would let him forget.

"So disappear, Mana!"

In his insanity filled laughter, Mana, who was now only the Earl, cried for the ones he lost. And the one he loved the most, that he was forced to kill.

 _Nea...do you hate me?_

 _ **I...will...never cease...to...pray...**_

~insertlinebreak~

A cry rang through the air, and eyes blinked to life. The baby blinked it's silver eyes, staring up into the horrified eyes of his mother.

"H-his...arm...what's wrong with my child's arm?"

The baby seemed to be looking at something, behind his mother. His tiny arm reached out, towards the figure. A man, looking seventeen, smiling and holding a hand out as well.

His hand grasped onto the baby's tenderly, and he grinned, "Welcome back, Allen."

~Insertlinebreak~

 _And even though we don't remember anymore what made us love each other...we still exist. And that gives me hope...that we will someday be alright again._

 _Until then...Nea...Allen...I'll wait for you..._

Fin.

~Insertlinebreak

 **Teh-th-that's all folks! I'm so proud of this story! It was a wild run, with me sobbing at some points. I hope I didn't take you guys on too much of a emotional rollercoaster.**

 **So let's review:**

 **Mana and Nea are twins/halves.**

 **Road is the only survivor.**

 **Allen is the former bookman junior who was rumored to have died.**

 **Allen also has the heart but when he 'died' the heart left him, and left him the Crowned Clown**.


	27. Omake-I will never leave you

**Yeah...so I put up an epilogue but...somebody asked for an Omake so here it is! Here is literally the happiest you'll see them. Like this is just so self indulgent after all I put them through.**

* * *

Cutting Ties Omake - _I will never leave you-_

~insertlinebreak~

As he walked into the completely empty dining hall, Nea came to two conclusions.

One; Mana was an idiot.

Two: His family was getting affected by Mana's idiocy.

Lying on the dining room table was a single envelope. The intricate patterns on it screamed that it was Road's stationary. She had a penchant for cute things, and everything in her room had to conform to her desires. The words on the envelope were written in Mana's hand writing though.

 _Open Me~3_

It was just like Mana to do this on such a special day, he was so dramatic. Yet, Nea was known for bending to his wishes without complaint so he carefully opened the envelope. Road would kill him if he ripped the envelope she spent her own money on.

The contents of the envelope were expected, but it surprised him anyway. Mana was such an idiot, so stupid. Nea found himself smiling.

 _My dearest brother,_

 _If you want your present, you have to find me first! Using your ark you have to find members of our family who are scattered across the world. Five locations, Noah at each. Each will give you a hint on where the others are and the final will give you a hint on where I am!_

 _P.S. Be nice to them, they don't have to tell you the truth on the others whereabouts~_

"He's such an idiot." Nea repeated, "Wasting this whole day, for a silly game?" The day was special, after all. They shouldn't be playing games like this. He shook the envelope, waiting for the first hint to fall out. Knowing Mana, his hint wouldn't be words. Riddles were Wisely's and Road's game. It'd be an object, something that would remind Nea of a place.

Two objects fell out. A candy wrapper smelling of strawberries, and a half of a card smelling like cheesecake. Nea knew immediately where he was going and who he was going to meet. Mana knew that this hint would be easy, and he was sending him to the worst of people.

Strawberry candies were Road's favorite. Cheesecake was the only type of sweet Wisely would eat. Everyday after school they would head to a bakery owned by one of Road's friends mothers. They'd just hang out there and eat the goods until they felt that it was time to go home. Road and Wisely went to school in France.

Nea turned, "Timcanpy! Come on, we're going to Paris!"

~insertlinebreak~

 _ **-Paris-**_

Walking into the bakery, he immediately took sight of Road and Wisely sitting together at the back of the shop. They talked to each other quietly, Wisely probably on his fifth slice of cheesecake and Road eating cake. Candy wrappers littered the table.

Road looked up at him and smiled sweetly, waving.

"What's Mana up too?" Nea questioned, looking at them lazily. He sat beside him, accepting when Road offered a sip of her hot chocolate. Road giggled as she mockingly placed a finger on her chin, pretending to think.

"Hmm...what hint should we give you...something that's not easy. Millennie's hint was so easy wasn't it?" She motioned on the whole store, "It's not hard to find out where Wisely and I go after school." She hummed.

Wisely nudged her, "Now now Road, this is a special day. We shouldn't be mean like this. Then again, the Master did say he wanted it to be tough for Nea to find him." He teased and once again Road offered more of her hot chocolate to Nea. She stood up to come closer to him, snuggling against him in the booth.

"Let's see...the people you will want to find will come in two." Road began speaking slowly as she worked to not give away the location or the people. Nea eyebrow's furrowed. He hated riddles.

 _Come in two? Noah hang around each other all the time-it could range from Joido and Lucy to Claire and Thomas!_

He glared: these two were absolute devils. He hated riddles.

"And you'll find they're similar to the master and you." Wisely continued. Road's eyes gleamed with delight as Wisely continued their riddle. Nea wanted to groan, he was never good with riddles. Road and Wisely however, excelled at them.

He wasn't sure if it was because they were the most mysteriously creepy members or if they were actually born like this. Nea liked to choose to the former.

Road smiled sweetly, "if you find where they and their chaperone will be…"

They ended it at the same time, "You'll eventually find his majesty!"

"You two are devils." Nea deadpanned and watched them laugh. Road giggled as she held up her straw to him again, letting him sip her hot chocolate. She loved games like this, and she loved the relationship that the whole family had. It was so special to her, and even days as special as this rested in her heart.

Though Nea pretended to be annoyed by this whole game, she knew he enjoyed them as well.

Road blew him a kiss, "that's our hint Nea. We're not telling you the place." She laughed, "You'll have to figure it out once you figure out who you're meeting." Road shrugged, "Our job here is done."

Wisely paused, "But we will give you this, don't just look around the places we usually occupy for the others, because we're scattered all around the world. You found us in a place we usually go to, but the others won't be as easy."

"Keep in mind that since there are several Noah in one place, they may be in a place that only one likes, and you may not know that place." Road added, letting him finish her hot chocolate. She'd just order a new one-she had to be here until Nea found Mana.

They smiled brightly, "Good luck, Nea!"

~insertlinebreak~

Nea hated riddles. Well, it wasn't so much that he hated riddles than the fact that he was universally known for being bad at them. Reading between the lines was never his forté.

"Okay Timcanpy, help me out here."

Nea laid on the couch of the common room, turning their words over in his mind. In hindsight, they probably went easy on him with the riddle. He had heard much difficult riddles come out of their mouths. If Nea wasn't so shit at riddles it would probably be easier for him to...actually solve it.

The golem rested on his chest in response, ready to help.

"They come in two, right? But that could just be two Noah that are never seen without each other. They are similar to Mana and I…" Nea trailed off, "Well that could just mean one annoys the other, right?"

The golem gave him a look that clearly said, _Are you kidding me?_

Nea glared, "Well if you know tell me!" He snapped. Timcanpy was getting quite sassy, he should fix that in his programming. How a golem grew a personality he'd never know but he knew Timcanpy was getting too much of one.

Timcanpy opened his mouth and Mana's voice filtered through.

 _Timcanpy, please don't help Nea! You've been with Road for the whole time we've been planning this so don't tell Nea where the others are. Even if it's obvious...okay? Thank you!_

"Traitor." Nea grumbled, "I'm feeding you to the nearest cat I find." He playfully threatened, "Or better yet, I'm letting Alice and Mary play dress up with you."

Timcanpy titled it's head...err...body.

 _Wait…_

Nea groaned, "Alice and Mary! Twins come in two, and Mana and I are twins...sort of…" He buried his head, "I hate my life." He was right, in hindsight it was obvious. It was painfully obvious that it was the twins.

 _But now their chaperone…_

"Alice and Mary usually go places alone." Nea noted, "Is there somebody they ever make an exception for? Thomas is too violent for them, Lucy too quiet. Road and Wisely were at the bakery...William is probably with Toraido...oh my god this is impossible."

He had been thinking about this for over two hours. Just thinking about Alice and Mary gave him that answer,but the chaperone was a different story.

Alice and Maryn usually kept to themselves. If they weren't with the entire family they were usually alone. If they were alone somebody was always sent to get them during family meetings. It was sometimes Road, sometimes Wisely...something Joido.

 _Joido._

Joido was known for picking up Alice and Mary from school if Road was sick and couldn't use her doors.

Nea slammed his head down again, "I'm so stupid. Joido's with them, and if Joido's with them he'll probably go to the place Alice and Mary like to go the most-Alice and Mary were born in London.

London was where they were most familiar with and they usually go the the gardens in the heart of London. Nea scrambled to get up, "Timcanpy let's go! They're in London."

~insertlinebreak~

Nea hated gardens. He hated the smell of thousands of floral flowers assaulting his nose. Why Alice and Mary liked it so much he'd never know. However, seeing Joido with a flower crown and flowers being braided into his long hair was such a perfect sight that his hate for gardens immediately disappeared.

Timcanpy fluttered around, recording the image with his abilities.

Joido glared, "Not. One. Word."

In response Alice and Mary giggled, resuming their mission of braiding flowers into his head. They looked up at Nea, smiling sweetly, "You've found us! You've found us!" They chorused, laughing.

"Took you a long time." Joido teased, "Road and Wisely gave you a riddle?" Nea puffed out of cheeks childishly, sitting down beside them. Immediately Mary moved to Nea to fit a flower crown around his head. Nea sat there and let it happen.

Mana warned him to be nice to them, and Alice and Mary had no problem with flat out lying to him if he was rude.

"White and yellow will look pretty on you." Mary observed, "Hmm...we should give you a hint shouldn't we?" She braided the last flower onto the crown before placing it on his head. Then she moved to whisper into Alice's ear. Alice whispered into Joido's and he pointed to a flower.

Alice ran over and picked it, "Here. This is your hint."

Nea spluttered, "What type of hint-"

Mary shushed him, "Shh...we're going to tell you something as well. In the place that sells this flower you will find the people you are looking for."

"Every flower shop sells this flower!" Nea groaned.

Joido nodded, "Yes but it's this person's favorite shop."

And like that the hint was over.

Nea sat there for a moment, before his eyes lit up, "It's Lucy!" Lucy loved flowers. He didn't have a clue where Lucy liked to go, she moved as silently as a cat(that is, if she wasn't a cat anyway) and disappeared when she liked to.

"If I ask nicely will you give me a hint on the location?" Nea smiled sweetly, reaching up to grab Mary's hand. Mary giggled shaking her head.

"Sorry Nea! The Earl said one hint per group!"

Nea sighed, "Can you at least give me a hint of a hint?" Nea asked hopefully, "Please…?"

Joido smirked as he held a single finger to lips, "Shh...don't tell that we gave you a second hint."

Nea beamed, "Promise, cross my heart!" He hurriedly mimed the motion.

"Okay, well while it's not the place this person was born, it was the place they awakened." Joido told him, "Now, shoo. I wanna go home and I can't until you find the Earl."

Nea waved, "You're the best. Bye!" The ark opened, and a Nea dropped through.

Alice looked at Joido, "Now, how do you feel about flowered bracelets?"

Joido growled, _Nea hurry up and find him…_

~insertlinebreak~

Nea paced back and forth in his room.

"Okay Lucy was born in Australia but she awakened in France but I've already been to France so...that's out. If she's with Fiidora then they're in Russia, but if William's also with them then they might be in Germany. This is making my head hurt."

He placed his hands on his hips, "Okay. First things first, who is usually with Lucy? Fiidora if not Joido. Where do they usually go? Out for tea. Lucy's room may have something."

He felt almost like a stalker, walking into Lucy's room without her permission. Flowers were nearly everywhere. She replaced them every few weeks to keep them fresh. Her room looked pretty with all of them, he supposed.

"Where would anything pertaining to flowers be-that aren't the actual flowers of course."

 _There could be a business card somewhere. Ah, she gave Claire flowers for her birthday two weeks ago. The card may be here._

He rummaged through her vanity, ignoring the make up that he found and looking for any paper.

"Lipstick...eyeshadow...eyeliner...how much make up does this girl wear? Ah...flower shop business card...blush...powder...wait!" He rummaged back through to retrieve the flower shop gift card.

"Here it is! It's in...Germany. She's with William."

~insertlinebreaK~

Walking into the flower shop, he was surprised to see Lucy, William, and Allen waiting for him, "Allen, you're in on this too?" He asked.

Allen smiled, "You didn't see me in the house, did you? The Earl recruited me to help him." Nea felt the need to make a comment on Allen's height, anything to make him angry but refrained.

Allen didn't _have_ to tell him the truth.

He painted a smile on, "Is that so? Well, do you have a hint for me? I'm tiring of this game." Allen pouted as he handed him a card. Lucy shoved flowers into his arms, the sickly sweet smell making him sneeze.

"Here, the person you need will have to be bribed, take _pity_ on her and give her these." Lucy said.

William grinned, "And tell her companion that I said hello."

Nea groaned, "I hate this. You did _not_ just hide your answer in that sentence. Allen you love me more than that, right?" He smiled charmingly towards the Bookman junior. Allen loved him...right?

Right?

"Nope!" Allen said, popping the 'p', " But good luck! The Earl is waiting for you!" Allen waved as Nea waved as he left. Allen turned to Lucy as Nea disappeared, "Do you think he'll understand?"

Lucy shrugged, "I put emphasis on it, didn't I? He should get it unless he's stupid." She went back to observing the flowers, "the Earl and Nea makes having siblings seem really nice, doesn't he?"

Allen smiled, "Yeah...they do."

Lucy smiled, "But then again, we're all siblings, aren't we Allen?" The question was innocent, but it made Allen's smile dim slightly. Knowing Lucy didn't notice he nodded, joining her next to the flowers.

"Yeah, we are…"

~insertlinebreak~

Nea, being Nea, didn't get the hint immediately. Not like Timcanpy helped anyway, because while Timcanpy knew who would be waiting for him he seemed to have a lot more common sense than Nea. Really, Lucy did make it obvious.

Pacing Nea looked at the card Allen gave him. It was from Italy. So whoever was waiting for him was probably in Italy in a special place. Nea never really wandered Italy, never really wanted to. Meaning it'd take him a while to actually _find_ whoever it was.

"Okay, Tim, replay what Lucy said." Nea ordered, facing the golem. Timcanpy opened his mouth to do as he said.

" _...the person you need will have to be bribed, take_ _ **pity**_ _on her and give her these…"_

"Okay…"

" _ **Pity…"**_

"That's enough Tim…" Nea muttered, thinking.

" _ **Pity…"**_

"Stop replaying the same word!" Nea snapped, "Why are you only relaying that anyway? Are you broken?" He pulled at Timcanpy's cheeks, "Or are you giving me a hint?"

Timcanpy nuzzled him in response.

"Pity. Noah of Pity-Claire!" Nea smiled, "Timcanpy, if I ever yell at you again, bite me." Timcanpy fluttered around him in response, "I should've known you'd agree."

Nea blinked, "If Claire's in Italy...maybe she's with Thomas. They're really close. Is there a place they like to go? Claire likes coffee...and Thomas does as well." Nea shrugged, "How much I don't know. They also like wine. Let's try coffee first. There's a coffee place there I know."

~insertlinebreak~

As Nea walked through the first thing he heard was Claire say, "On a scale of one to ten how stressed does this game make you?" She offered him a cup of coffee, laughing at the wounded look Nea sent her. Nea wasn't good with riddles and tricks and games. Mana was the person that spoke in riddles as his job.

The Earl was practically made to speak in riddles.

"I have flowers for you." Nea passed them to her, "And to answer your question…"

"I'd say a good ten thousand." Nea responded, downing the cup, "I have time." He shrugged, "One more place to go after this one. Why does he play these games." He complained, before looking up at Claire, "Another cup?" He asked pitifully. Claire nodded before handing him another.

Thomas snorted, "He likes seeing you suffer." Then begrudgingly, "And he loves you."

Nea smiled, "I know."

Claire stretched, "Well I'm too lazy to make you suffer with a hard hint, so this relies on how well you know this person. On the day of this person's awakening, you and Mana didn't drink because you don't like wine. Wine is however his favorite thing, and so you'll find him there."

Nea grinned, because this time he knew _exactly_ where to go.

"Toraido, Spain." He opened the ark, "Much love!"

Claire waved, "Find him~"

~insertlinebreak~

Nea walked through the winery, "Toraido? Brother, where are you?" He called, "Toraido?"

"I'm here~!" Toraido appeard from around the corner, cradling fifteen bottles of expensive wine. Nea sighed, for once glad they were so rich. Toraido adored spending money on wines.

Toraido grinned, "With my hint you'll find the Master! So, this hint was specially given to me by the Earl himself."

Nea grinned, "What is it?"

Toraido shrugged, "He said he is at where it all began." He smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you something more to help you, but I don't even understand the hint."

Nea's eyes widened though, "No, that's okay. I understand."

 _What remained on that day was...two babies._

 _Katerina and the Earl first met underneath that tree...and so it began there._

Nea smiled, "I'm going to go get that idiot."

~insertlinebreak~

He arrived at the tree, walking through the golden wheat field to find who he has bent looking for. Mana stood, waiting for him. Smiling and beaming like he knew Nea would figure it out.

"Happy birthday, Nea!" He exclaimed.

"Happy birthday Mana." Nea acknowledged, hugging him, "You sent me on a quest when this is where you were hiding?"

Mana shrugged, "I hid in the most obvious place~you probably that I was somewhere in the ark."

Nea nodded, "I did, but then I would've felt you. So, what did you send me on the chase for? As much as the family had fun with it."

Mana fumbled, "Oh right, well the chase with the real activity. I got you this. I made it." It was a sword, large. It mirrored Mana's, "Road has her candles, Claire her insects, Joido's tease. You didn't have a weapon to really protect yourself with. I wanted to give you one."

"So we have...twin swords? You're so cheesy." Nea smiled, "I was so busy playing your game that I didn't bring my present with me."

Mana puffed his cheeks, "Stop giving me presents! I'm older so I'll buy all your presents." Nea didn't understand why Mana hated to be given presents from him. He knew he adored giving Nea things, so much so that he gave him gifts for no particular reason.

Nea was always ready to do the same, if he would just let him.

"You're my brother, I need to buy you stuff too." Nea sighed.

Mana smiled, "Your present can be to stay with me, always. I don't want a material present from you." His expression brightened, "I don't need a material present.

Nea laughed reaching up to grasp Mana's shoulders, because really, Mana was such an idiot. Even with his dreams, his dark wishes, he knew one thing.

"Silly Mana, my dearest brother…" Nea hugged him.

" _I'll never abandon you."_


End file.
